President Donald Trump believes that it is up to China, not in the United States, to come to the trade in trade, said the White House on Tuesday while tensions degenerate between the two biggest economies in the world.
“The ball is in Chinese court. China must conclude an agreement with us. We do not have to conclude an agreement with them,” said a Trump statement, read by press secretary Karoline Leavitt in a briefing.
“There is no difference between China and any other country, except that they are much larger,” she added.
While Leavitt argued that Trump was open to an agreement with Beijing, she stressed that it was China that was to advance first – showing the strength of the American consumer market as a lever effect.
Trade tensions between Washington and Beijing evased, and the situation has worsened since Trump took office in January.
Trump initially imposed import prices from China for its presumed role in the fentanyl supply chain – and recently increased these levels strongly on business practices that Washington considers unfair.
Only this year, Trump imposed an additional 145% rate on many goods from China, stacking the tasks of previous administrations.
This involved 20% on fentanyl and other illicit drugs, as well as 125% compared to business practices.
The administration of Trump, however, enabled certain technological products such as smartphones and temporary laptops of the last tax.
