China Rejects Trump’s Claim That It’s ‘Suffering Greatly’ Under Tariffs

China Rejects Trump's Claim of Economic Pain

Beijing has rebuffed assertions by President Donald Trump that the Chinese economy is "suffering greatly" under the weight of U.S. tariffs, signaling that despite mounting economic pressure, China is not ready to concede in ongoing trade tensions. The White House / Wikimedia

Chinese Official Defends Economic Stability

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian dismissed Trump’s characterization during a press briefing, stating, "No external shock can change the fundamentals of China's stable economic foundation, many advantages, strong resilience and great potential." 中国新闻社 / Wikimedia

Trump Says Tariffs Are Hurting China

Trump had said in the Oval Office on Tuesday, "They’re suffering greatly. Their economy is suffering greatly because they’re not doing trade with the U.S.," claiming that China "made most of their money off the U.S." The White House / Wikimedia

U.S. Accounts for Only a Fraction of China’s Exports

However, while the U.S. remains China’s top export destination, recent figures from the U.S. Trade Representative show exports to America account for less than 13 percent of China's total outbound trade. Kaboompics.com / Pexels

Tariff War Intensifies with No Pause for China

The tariff war escalated after Trump unveiled sweeping 145 percent reciprocal tariffs on multiple countries on April 2, though China was notably excluded from a subsequent 90-day negotiation pause granted to others. China continues to impose its own 125 percent tariffs on U.S. goods in retaliation. The White House / Wikimedia

New Trade Talks Scheduled in Switzerland

Despite the stalemate, both nations are preparing for a fresh round of negotiations. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is scheduled to meet with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Switzerland this weekend. Bessent, speaking to Fox News, said, "We don’t want to decouple. What we want is fair trade." He added that the current tariff structure is "the equivalent of an embargo." Josh Morgan / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Analysts See Strategic Standoff, Not Progress

Experts caution that the diplomatic posturing signals more of the same deadlock. Craig Singleton of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies told Newsweek, "Trump is projecting strength while appearing open to a deal. Xi is sounding reasonable while stoking nationalist defiance. These are not signals of breakthrough." Markus Winkler / Pexels

No Breakthrough Likely as Demands Remain Unmet

Although the rhetoric has softened, substantive compromise remains elusive. China continues to demand U.S. de-escalation before further talks, while Trump seeks concrete concessions up front.

As of now, neither side appears ready to blink first. The White House / Wikimedia