Trump claims that US and China are negotiating over lower tariffs - but Beijing just completely denied it

Donald Trump claimed that the US and China are negotiating tariff terms, and Beijing has completely denied it.

US president Trump sent stock markets plummeting after threatening to introduce a swathe of tariffs on goods coming into the US, with China hit with increasingly high rates, rising to 145 per cent.

But, amid stark warnings from some of America’s top CEOs about what Trump’s tariffs may do to the economy, Trump appears to have softened his approach, suggesting he was going to “substantially” reduce the tariff rate on China.

Trump told reporters that “everything’s active”, when questioned on whether the government was engaging with China.

The Ministry of Commerce in China said it was “open to consultations and dialogues” but added that talks “must be conducted on the basis of mutual respect and in an equal manner”.

A spokesman said: “Any claims about the progress of China-US trade negotiations are groundless as trying to catch the wind and have no factual basis.”

Trump’s own Treasury Secretary said that no formal negotiations were taking place.

China found itself excluded from a 90-day pause on Trump’s so-called “reciprocal tariffs” and has itself placed a 125 per cent tariff on US goods imported there.

The Chinese government has made it clear it wants all tariffs cancelled and vowed to “fight to the end”.

“The unilateral tariff increase measures were initiated by the United States. If the United States really wants to solve the problem, it should face up to the rational voices of the international community and all parties at home, completely cancel all unilateral tariff measures against China, and find ways to resolve differences through equal dialogue,” government spokesman He Yadong said.

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