Topline
President Donald Trump on Friday accused China of violating an agreement with the U.S. to relieve his tariffs, as tensions appear to rise between the two countries with trade talks still underway, though American officials said efforts have “stalled” in recent days.
Trump did not specify how China violated an agreement negotiated with the U.S. earlier this month.
“China, perhaps not surprisingly to some, HAS TOTALLY VIOLATED ITS AGREEMENT WITH US,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, though he did not specify how China violated an agreement reached with the U.S. earlier this month.
Trump suggested the U.S. would respond to China’s non-compliance, writing, “So much for being Mr. NICE GUY!”
The U.S. agreed to lower Trump’s 125% tariffs on China to 10% in a trade deal reached on May 11, with China agreeing to lower its levies on the U.S, as both countries said they would continue trade negotiations.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer appeared to back Trump’s claim in an interview with CNBC, telling the outlet the U.S. was “very concerned” with China’s non-compliance and claimed China has “[slowed] down and [choked] off things like critical minerals and rare Earth magnets.”
On Thursday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said trade talks between the U.S. and China “are a bit stalled,” but noted he believed U.S. officials would be “having more talks with [China] in the next few weeks.”
“Two weeks ago, China was in grave economic danger,” Trump wrote, adding, “The very high tariffs I set made it virtually impossible for China to TRADE into the United States marketplace, which is, by far, number one in the world.” Trump claimed a trade deal with China stabilized “civil unrest” in the country, suggesting he made a “FAST DEAL” with China “to save them from what I thought was going to be a very bad situation, and I didn’t want to see that happen.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.