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Trump: ‘Getting VERY close to a BIG DEAL with China. They want it, and so do we!’
President Donald Trump speaks to reporters in Washington, December 7, 2019.Erin Scott | ReutersPresident Donald Trump said Thursday that the U.S. has moved close to a trade agreement with China after several false starts and near misses.”Getting VERY close to a BIG DEAL with China. They want it, and so do we!” the president tweeted.Trump’s…
President Donald Trump speaks to reporters in Washington, December 7, 2019.
Erin Scott | Reuters
President Donald Trump said Thursday that the U.S. has moved close to a trade agreement with China after several false starts and near misses.
“Getting VERY close to a BIG DEAL with China. They want it, and so do we!” the president tweeted.
Trump's acknowledgement that the U.S. seeks a deal marks a shift in tone from recent weeks. He has repeatedly contended Beijing needs an agreement more than Washington does, and suggested he was content waiting until after the 2020 election to strike a deal.
Trump's optimism about a deal comes ahead of an expected Thursday meeting with his top economic advisors on whether to delay the administration's next round of tariffs on China. Duties of 15% on about $160 billion in goods are set to take effect on Sunday.
Major U.S. stock indexes jumped following Trump's tweet. Investors hope the U.S. and China can reach an accord before the tariff deadline and avoid a potentially damaging escalation in their ongoing trade war.
Trump in October announced a partial “phase one” agreement with China as the world's two largest economies try to rein in the economic conflict. Washington and Beijing have so far failed to ink the agreement, which would have involved increased Chinese purchases of U.S. agricultural products and possible tariff relief.
During months of trade talks with China, the president has previously touted progress before discussions crumbled. He has repeatedly said the negotiations are going well, even as trade officials struggled to ink a deal.
U.S. trade negotiators have offered to cut standing tariff rates on about $360 billion in Chinese goods by 50% and cancel the duties set to take effect Sunday, Dow Jones reported. The Trump administration has asked China for commitments to buy American products, and it would reapply the original tariff rates if Beijing does not follow through, according to the news wire.
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