President Donald Trump urged China to engage in dialogue regarding the trade war.
Trump, caught off guard by Chinese President Xi Jinping’s unexpected resilience against what he thought would be a crushing tariff offensive, made the first move by inviting China to the negotiating table.
On Tuesday, Trump called on China to take the initiative in resolving the escalating trade war between the world’s two largest economies.
In a statement read by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Trump declared, “The ball is in China’s court: China needs to make a deal with us.”
Leavitt emphasized, “There’s no difference between China and any other country except they are much larger, and China wants what we have, what every country wants, what we have – the American consumer.”
On the same day, Trump criticized China on his social media, stating that China had canceled contracts with Boeing. He indirectly urged China to come to the negotiating table, noting that talks with other countries were progressing well.
Earlier, China had ordered its domestic airlines to stop purchasing Boeing jets. This move is seen as retaliation against the U.S., which has raised tariffs on Chinese products by up to 145%.
In addition to banning Boeing purchases, President Xi has shown a resolute stance against U.S. tariffs, refusing to engage in dialogue.
Notably, China halted exports of rare earth materials on April 4. These materials are essential for advanced weaponry and are expected to significantly impact U.S. defense contractors.
In preparation for a potential second U.S.-China trade war, China has diversified its export routes, reducing its share of exports to the U.S. to 14% of total exports. This strategy suggests that China may view initiating dialogue as a sign of surrender, leading them to adopt a more defiant stance.
As China adopted a strategy of holding out, Trump has taken the initiative to call for dialogue.
The Financial Times reported that Trump eagerly awaits Xi to capitulate and call the White House first. However, analysts note that China has been steadily preparing and that Xi currently has no pressing reasons to concede.