Trump says not all tariffs will be lifted in China trade deal

World Today

U.S. President Donald Trump says not all the tariffs imposed on China will be lifted as part of a phase one trade deal. Both Beijing and Washington have indicated they are close to a partial agreement that would halt and begin to reverse a near two-year trade war that has damaged both economies and slowed global growth.

CGTN’s Nathan King reports.

A day after the Chinese ministry of commerce said any trade deal would include the suspension and rollback of tariffs, U.S. President Trump says that at least some tariffs will stay in place even if a phase one deal is agreed to. 

“Well, they’d like to have a rollback,  I haven’t agreed to anything. China would like to get somewhat of a rollback. Not a complete rollback. Because they know I won’t do it. But we’re getting along very well with China. They want to make a deal,” said U.S. President Donald Trump ” 

Trump also said that assuming any agreement is reached, it will be signed between him and Chinese President Xi Jinping somewhere in the U.S. in what Trump called “farm country.” 

Washington has made increased agricultural purchases by Beijing, the central negotiating point of any deal. 

Trump, however, would not commit to a date or exact location suggesting that negotiations are still ongoing. 

Meanwhile, Peter Navarro, a key Trump adviser on trade manufacturing and the U.S. relationship with China, has appeared multiple times on U.S. media over the past 24 hours.

While suggesting that new tariffs on such things as laptop computers, cell phones and toys slated to be imposed on December 15, could be suspended or delayed, Navarro insists the U.S. should keep some tariffs in place as leverage against China in the next phases of negotiations. 

Navarro’s comments are more hawkish than others in the Trump administration, suggesting there are still divisions within the U.S. negotiating team. 

President Trump had stated publically that he wanted to sign a phase one trade deal with President Xi Jinping this month- Global markets have soared on the news but with no date yet set and continued differences here in Washington among negotiators- that timetable could slip. A deal seems close but not yet closed.