US has reached out to China to talk tariffs, state media says

On Thursday, a social media account linked to Chinese state media reported that the United States has reached out to China to discuss President Donald Trump’s 145% tariffs, marking the latest indication of potential negotiations regarding the tariffs.

“The U.S. has proactively reached out to China through multiple channels, hoping to hold discussions on the tariff issue,” Yuyuan Tantian said in a post published on its official Weibo social media account, citing anonymous sources.

Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry, on Wednesday said: “as far as I know, there have been no consultations or negotiations between China and the U.S. on tariffs”.

Trump said in a U.S. media interview published last Friday that his administration was talking with China to reach a tariff deal and that Chinese President Xi Jinping had called him. Beijing last week repeatedly denied such talks were taking place, accusing Washington of “misleading the public”.

On Wednesday, Trump stated he thought there was a “very good chance” his administration could reach a deal with China, just hours after Xi urged China, the second-largest economy globally, to make adjustments in response to shifts in the international landscape, without directly naming the United States.