US, China Weigh Tariff Cuts Before Leaders’ Summit
On.cc · 2 SOURCESabout 4 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
The United States and China are reportedly discussing whether to lower tariffs on non-sensitive items before an expected leaders’ summit in Washington later this month. The proposal is still preliminary, and the two sides have not reached agreement on either the plan itself or the scale of any tariff cuts.
Key Points
- Nikkei reported on Tuesday, September 1, that Beijing and Washington are considering tariff reductions on non-sensitive goods before the leaders meet.
- Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit the White House on September 24 for talks with US President Donald Trump.
- Sources said the tariff idea remains in an early discussion phase, and there is still no consensus between the two governments.
- The sources also said no agreement has been reached on how large any tariff reductions would be before the summit
- Speaking at the White House on Monday, August 31, Trump said he looked forward to discussing many issues with Xi and repeated that ties were good and based on mutual respect.
- Trump also said Xi respected the United States again and argued the situation differed from two years ago, when he claimed Xi had mocked America
- According to one report, Trump thanked China and Russia for remaining neutral during the Iran war and the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, any pre-summit easing on non-sensitive tariffs would be watched as an early sign of whether the two largest economies can stabilise trade frictions before the September 24 meeting. Because both reports stress that talks are still preliminary and without consensus, expectations are likely to remain cautious until either side confirms concrete terms.