China is currently reviewing the potential for trade negotiations with the United States, a spokesperson from the Ministry of Commerce stated on Friday, stressing that any discussions must be grounded in genuine intent and require the U.S. to lift its unilateral tariffs.
The statement was in response to recent remarks from U.S. officials expressing a willingness to engage in trade talks.
China’s commerce ministry noted that Washington has made overtures through multiple channels signaling interest in opening discussions.
“Our stance remains unchanged: if there’s a fight, we’ll fight to the finish; if there’s dialogue, we’re ready,” the spokesperson said. “The trade and tariff conflict was initiated solely by the U.S.”
The ministry added that if the U.S. wishes to pursue talks, it must “demonstrate sincerity by correcting its mistakes and removing unilateral tariffs.”
“Posturing while making threats under the pretense of negotiations will not succeed with China,” the statement emphasized.
These remarks follow reports in Chinese state media indicating that U.S. officials have reached out to rekindle trade talks. Recent U.S. statements have also hinted at a willingness to re-engage, amid rising concerns over the ongoing economic damage caused by the prolonged U.S.-China trade conflict.
A fresh round of discussions could mark a turning point in their standoff, which escalated in April when both nations imposed heavy tariffs on each other’s goods. President Trump raised tariffs on Chinese imports to a record 145%, prompting China to retaliate with 125% tariffs on American goods.
In April, Trump indicated openness to scaling back tariffs if China agreed to come to the table. However, Chinese officials maintained that any talks would require Trump to first roll back existing tariffs.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also commented in April, saying he expected tariffs on China to be reduced before talks could advance, cautioning that the road to a comprehensive deal would likely be long and complex.
Trump’s tariffs were aimed at reducing the U.S. trade deficit with China. While they have already started to curb Chinese imports, they risk significantly increasing costs for American companies and consumers, as many critical materials imported from China are hard to substitute.
Major corporations reliant on Chinese manufacturing have also felt the impact. Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), which produces roughly 90% of its devices in China, reported a $900 million loss in Q2 linked to the tariffs. Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) likewise forecasted a downturn in its e-commerce and retail segments due to the rising costs.
