President Trump on Tuesday said his administration is engaged in “very substantive” trade talks with China, and confirmed that his Treasury secretary will meet with Chinese officials in Beijing later this week.
“China has never treated us with more respect than they have over the last short period of time since I’ve been president,” Trump said during a joint press conference with his French counterpart.
“We’re having very substantive discussions on trade with China,” he added. “I believe the trade will work out.”
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin’s trip to China will be the first since Trump announced his plan to install tariffs on $50 billion of imported Chinese goods. The country’s leader, Xi Jinping, almost immediately responded to that move by threatening to slap tariffs on American exports, including meats, vehicles, and soy.
“Steve Mnuchin will be going to China in a few days to negotiate on trade. I think China is very serious; we’re very serious,” Trump said Tuesday. “And we have no choice but to be very serious. We’ve put on very substantial tariffs, and that will continue unless we make a trade deal.”
The president said his administration “has got a very good chance of making a deal” with China.
