Trump stands by China negotiations, dismissing Beijing’s denial as ‘false news’

WASHINGTON, April 25 — President Donald Trump reaffirmed on Thursday that trade talks between the US and China are ongoing, countering Chinese claims that no discussions have taken place to ease the ongoing trade war.

“They had a meeting this morning,” Trump told reporters, refusing to specify who "they" referred to. “It doesn’t matter who ‘they’ is. We may reveal it later, but they had meetings this morning, and we’ve been meeting with China.”

However, China stated on Thursday that no trade talks had been held with Washington, despite repeated claims from the US government suggesting otherwise.

"China and the United States have not conducted consultations or negotiations on tariffs, nor have we reached any agreement," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, calling reports of such talks "false news."

A White House official confirmed that lower-level in-person meetings, along with a phone call between US and Chinese staff, had taken place this week.

The conflicting statements from Washington and Beijing highlight the strained communication and uncertainty surrounding the ongoing trade war, contributing to volatility in global markets and prolonging economic difficulties on both sides.

US businesses are facing rising import costs, while Chinese exporters are struggling with declining US demand.

This week, both Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested there could be a reduction in tensions with China. On Wednesday, Bessent indicated that excessively high tariffs would need to be lowered before any trade negotiations could continue, emphasizing that de-escalation was essential for the world’s two largest economies to rebalance their trading relationship.

Earlier this month, the White House imposed 145% tariffs on Chinese goods, prompting Beijing to retaliate with its own tariffs and tighter restrictions on critical mineral exports to the United States. — Reuters