SHANNON (Ireland), June 6 — US President Donald Trump threatened to hit China with tariffs on “at least” another US$300 billion (RM1.2 trillion) worth of Chinese goods but said he thought both China and Mexico wanted to make deals in their trade disputes with the United States.
Tensions between the world’s two largest economies have risen sharply since talks aimed at ending a festering trade war broke down in early May.
While Trump said today that talks with China are ongoing, no face-to-face meetings have been held since May 10, the day he sharply increased tariffs on a US$200 billion list of Chinese goods to 25per cent, prompting Beijing to retaliate.
“Our talks with China, a lot of interesting things are happening. We’ll see what happens... I could go up another at least US$300 billion and I’ll do that at the right time,” Trump told reporters today, without specifying which goods could be impacted.
“But I think China wants to make a deal and I think Mexico wants to make a deal badly,” said Trump before boarding Air Force One at the Irish airport of Shannon on his way to France for a D-Day commemoration.
China’s Commerce Ministry also said today that Beijing would have to adopt necessary countermeasures if Washington unilaterally escalates trade tensions, and that US pressure have caused serious setbacks to the trade talks.
The International Monetary Fund warned yesterday that escalating tariff threats were sapping business and market confidence, and could slow global growth that is currently expected to improve next year.
US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is scheduled to meet with People’s Bank of China Governor Yi Gang this weekend at a gathering of G20 finance leaders in Japan, the first face-to-face discussion between key negotiators in nearly a month.
Mexican and US officials are also set to resume their talks in Washington today aimed at averting an imposition of tariffs on Mexican goods.
After saying that “not enough” progress on ways to curb migration was made when the two sides met yesterday, Trump told reporters today that Mexico had made progress in the talks but needed to do more.
He reiterated that 5per cent tariffs on all Mexico’s exports to the United States due to start on Monday will go ahead if progress is not made. The tariffs can rise to as much as 25per cent later in the year. — Reuters
