Inside China's decision to come to the table on Trump tariffs

Antoni Slodkowski and Laurie Chen

Thu, May 8, 2025, 11:34 PM 9 min read

By Antoni Slodkowski and Laurie Chen

BEIJING (Reuters) - Since U.S. President Donald Trump imposed steep tariffs connected China past month, Beijing has responded successful kind. On authorities and societal media, it posted images of Mao Zedong, lambasted "imperialists," and sent a message: capitulation to bullies is dangerous, and it wouldn't backmost down.

But down closed doors, Chinese officials person grown progressively alarmed astir tariffs' interaction connected the system and the hazard of isolation arsenic China's trading partners person started negotiating deals with Washington, according to 3 officials acquainted with Beijing's thinking.

These factors, on with outreach by the U.S. and an easing of Trump's rhetoric, persuaded Beijing to nonstop its economical tsar He Lifeng for meetings with U.S. counterparts successful Switzerland this weekend, the officials told Reuters.

Re-engagement was analyzable by the fractious quality of U.S.-China diplomacy. In particular, Beijing considered a missive the U.S. broadside sent to Chinese ministries successful precocious April astir fentanyl "arrogant," 2 officials said. Efforts to put talks were further impaired by disagreements implicit which officials should beryllium involved, said 1 of these radical and different official.

China's reasons for deciding to negotiate, Washington's missive connected fentanyl, U.S. diplomatic challenges successful Beijing, and the aboriginal outreach betwixt the 2 sides are reported by Reuters for the archetypal time, based connected interviews with astir a twelve authorities officials and experts connected some sides. Most of the radical were granted anonymity to sermon non-public information.

China's State Council and ministries of commerce and overseas affairs didn't instantly respond to faxed requests for comment. The White House and State Department besides didn't respond to Reuters questions astir the lead-up to the Geneva talks.

China's Vice Foreign Minister Hua Chunying said connected Friday that China has afloat assurance successful its quality to negociate U.S. commercialized issues, adding that the Trump administration's attack cannot beryllium sustained.

The commercialized warfare betwixt the world's 2 largest economies, combined with Trump's determination past period to enforce duties connected dozens of different countries, has disrupted proviso chains, unsettled fiscal markets and stoked fears of a crisp downturn successful planetary growth.

Chinese export restrictions, meanwhile, person squeezed the proviso of captious minerals the U.S. needs for weapons, electronics and user goods. Trump's support ratings are falling owed to his handling of tariffs and the economy.