Washington DC, July 17: United States President Donald Trump has on Monday reiterated that if he wants to, he could impose further tariffs on Chinese imports seeks, after reaching a trade deal with Chinese leader Xi Jinping to hold off on imposition of additional duties amidst trade war between the world’s largest economies.
“We have a long way to go as far as tariffs where China is concerned if we want. We have another $325 billion we can put a tariff on if we want,” Trump said. “So, we’re talking to China about a deal, but I wish they didn’t break the deal that we had.”
According to Al-Jazeera news reports, US trade representative Robert Lighthizer and treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin are expected to hold another telephonic conversation this week with the Chinese top trade negotiators, and the two may pay an official visit to Beijing for talks if their phone talks are productive, Munchin has said on Monday.
Meanwhile, Trump, last week complained China wasn’t trying to cope up with its promise made of increased purchases of US agricultural goods. “China is letting us down in that they have not been buying the agricultural products from our great Farmers that they said they would. Hopefully, they will start soon!” Trump said on Twitter.
Mexico is doing great at the Border, but China is letting us down in that they have not been buying the agricultural products from our great Farmers that they said they would. Hopefully they will start soon!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 11, 2019
White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow has on Monday told reporters Washington expects Beijing to announce ‘significant’ purchases from American farmers, implying the punitive steps are necessary for better trade talks between two countries to advance.
The US and Chinese trade representatives held a “constructive” telephonic conversation on Tuesday, Larry Kudlow, the White House economic adviser said it marked the latest round of dialogues between two sides since the world’s two largest economies are struggling a year-long trade war, tired of what they reached an agreement to a tariff truce.
On Tuesday, Kudlow said the US president was considering it as “very, very important” for Beijing to purchase American farm products as their trade talks resumed.
Also read: