The United States has tried reaching out to China, seeking discussions over President Donald Trump’s massive 145% tariff, a social media account linked to Chinese state media has claimed.
According to a Reuters report, a Weibo post by Yuyuan Tantian, claimed that “the US has proactively reached out to China through multiple channels, hoping to hold discussions on the tariff issue.”
The post, citing anonymous sources, hinted at a notable development after weeks of vocal condemnation by China, in an ongoing bitter trade standoff.
It said that China has no need to engage in talks with the US, before the latter takes any substantive action. However, it also added that in case the US wishes to initiate contact, “there is no harm at this stage for China to engage.”
The post, quoted by Reuters further said that China should closely observe the situation and, if necessary, force out the true intentions behind efforts to maintain control over both negotiation and confrontation.
Beijing has long been criticising the duties, describing them as economic bullying and a deliberate attempt to suppress China’s growth. Earlier, China’s foreign ministry had also accused the United States of deliberately trying to isolate it by pressuring other countries to curb trade ties with Beijing, describing the tactic as a “90-day pause game.”
So far, it has responded more with defiance than diplomacy, rallying domestic and international opposition to the measures.
However, behind the scenes, China also began quietly exempting certain US goods, such as pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and jet engines, from its own retaliatory 125% tariffs, according to news agency Reuters. The move was aimed towards safeguarding its domestic firms from the tariff blow while maintaining a firm public stance.
Trump’s tariffs became a major hurdle for Chinese exporters once they surpassed 35%, with analysts at Nomura Securities warning of serious long-term fallout. They also estimated that a 50% cut in exports to the US could put as many as 16 million Chinese jobs at risk.
Despite its tough public stance, China’s recent moves, such as exempting select US goods from its tariffs and the Yuyuan Tantian post suggesting tariff discussions hint at a more cautious, measured approach.
Chinese officials, meanwhile, remain publicly defiant. A foreign ministry spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, told reporters on Wednesday, “as far as I know, there have been no consultations or negotiations between China and the US on tariffs.”
Trump suggested a deal may be on the horizon believing that there was a “very good chance” his administration could strike a deal with China. Speaking to US media previously, he said that talks were underway, claiming that Chinese President Xi Jinping had called him. The claim was flatly denied by Beijing and accused Washington of “misleading the public”.
Nonetheless, China has maintained that it is open to dialogue, on the condition that any negotiations are based on “equality, respect and mutual benefit.” Whether Washington’s outreach meets that bar remains to be seen.