The President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced that his administration intends to negotiate with China before potentially imposing 10% tariffs.
According to Bloomberg, Trump told reporters that talks with China would likely take place "within the next 24 hours." Over the weekend, he stated that tariffs against China would come into effect at 12:01 AM on Tuesday (January 19, Kyiv time).
"If we can't reach a deal with China, the tariffs will be very, very substantial," Trump said.
Later, White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt informed Fox News that Trump plans to discuss "illegal Chinese fentanyl, which kills tens of thousands of Americans every year," with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
"The President has made it clear to China that we are not going to tolerate this," she said. "And I would also add that many of the tariffs imposed by President Trump during his first term are still in effect."
Earlier, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce promised to take "appropriate countermeasures" in response to Trump's tariff threats and stated that China would file a complaint with the World Trade Organization.
Trump Imposes Tariffs
Previously, the United States announced the imposition of significant tariffs on imported goods from Canada, Mexico (25%), and China (10%).
However, it was later revealed that Trump delayed the imposition of tariffs against Mexico after the country agreed to send additional forces to the border to combat fentanyl and migration.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also reported that the United States would postpone the implementation of tariffs on imported goods from his country for one month. Meanwhile, Canada is implementing a $1.3 billion border protection plan.