World
China Shows Signs of ‘Caving’ to Trump’s Trade Pressure, Expert Says
By Jake Beardslee · April 26, 2025
Early Signs Point to China Yielding in Tariff Dispute, Analyst Says
Early indications suggest China is beginning to "cave" to U.S. tariff pressure, according to foreign policy analyst Gordon Chang. Speaking on Fox Business’ "Varney & Co.", Chang said that although China has not formally announced concessions, its recent moves—including quietly exempting some U.S. aviation products, industrial chemicals, and semiconductors from retaliatory tariffs—point to a strategic retreat. The White House / Wikimedia
Chang: China Quietly Backing Down Without Publicly Admitting It
"China is doing this, but it's not announcing it. It's just not imposing the tariffs," Chang explained, describing the approach as "the Chinese way of doing it." He added, "It's basically, they're caving, but they don't want to say they're caving." Kaboompics.com / Pexels
Trump Confirms Multiple Talks with Xi but Keeps Details Vague
President Trump, addressing reporters from the White House lawn on Friday, declined to specify the timing of his last conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping but confirmed, "I've spoken to him many times." When asked about the discussions, Trump said, "I'll let you know at the appropriate time. Let's see if we can make a deal." Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan / Wikimedia
China Reviews Tariff Exemptions as Public Standoff Continues
Though Beijing publicly stated last Thursday that it was not negotiating with Washington, Reuters later reported that China's Ministry of Commerce is compiling lists of American goods to exempt from tariffs and soliciting exemption requests from companies. This subtle shift hints at behind-the-scenes adjustments despite China's harder public stance, including threats to maintain tariffs until the U.S. backs down. Arthur Wang / Unsplash
Chang: "Xi Jinping Has Boxed Himself into the Corner"
Chang predicted that the standoff could drag on indefinitely, noting, "Xi Jinping has boxed himself into the corner." He emphasized that any deal with the U.S. would require Xi to "explain that to the Chinese people," a difficult task given the narrative Beijing has promoted for years. 美国之音 / Wikimedia
Economic Data Suggests Strains on Chinese Growth and Exports
Economic signals paint a troubling picture for China, Chang noted, citing falling consumer and producer price indices, declining GDP growth, and shrinking tax revenues. He also pointed out that countries like India have recently imposed their own tariffs—such as a 12% tax on steel—targeted at blocking Chinese exports, signaling growing international resistance to Chinese trade practices."When you add deglobalization, this is a really bad story for Beijing," Chang warned. Pixabay / Pexels
