'Will make very good deal with China': Trump says amid escalating tariff war
Amid an ever-escalating tariff war between the US and China, President Donald Trump on Thursday said he will make "a very good trade deal" with the Asian country.
"I think we're going to make a very good deal with China," he said at the White House, sitting opposite Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni who was in Washington for talks on tariffs.
Trump's statement comes after he posted a cryptic post on his social media platform Truth Social, claiming that China had expressed willingness for a meeting with him over the trade war.
In the post, Trump revealed that he had a productive conversation with the President of Mexico and top Japanese trade representatives and claimed that every nation "including China," wants to meet over the tariffs.
"Had a very productive call with the President of Mexico yesterday. Likewise, I met with the highest level Japanese Trade Representatives. It was a very productive meeting. Every Nation, including China, wants to meet! Today, Italy!," the post said.
The cryptic post comes a day after the Chinese foreign ministry responded to Trump's imposition of sweeping tariffs, with certain Chinese products now facing 245 per cent duties to enter the US market.
While the rest of the world has been slapped with a blanket 10 percent tariff, China faces levies of up to 145 percent on many products. Beijing has responded with duties of 125 percent on US goods.
"If the US really wants to resolve the issue through dialogue and negotiation, it should stop exerting extreme pressure, stop threatening and blackmailing, and talk to China on the basis of equality, respect and mutual benefit," Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Wednesday.
"There is no winner in a tariff war or a trade war," Lin said, adding: "China does not want to fight, but it is not afraid to fight."
