Ola Akinwunmi
China’s commerce ministry announced Friday that it is currently evaluating a U.S. proposal for tariff negotiations—but with one uncompromising caveat: Washington must first undo the punitive tariffs that have disrupted global supply chains and rattled markets.
In a pointed statement, Beijing declared that any move toward dialogue must be underpinned by a reversal of the tariffs that have, in some cases, reached as high as 145 percent on key Chinese goods. “If the U.S. wants to talk, it should show its sincerity to do so, be prepared to correct its wrong practices, and cancel unilateral tariffs,” a ministry spokesperson stated. The Chinese official warned that failure to meet these conditions would only deepen mutual distrust, accusing Washington of engaging in “coercion and blackmail” under the guise of negotiations.
The current row stems from a series of tit-for-tat measures. Punitive U.S. tariffs, which took effect in April, have targeted Chinese imports aggressively, while Beijing has retaliated with fresh duties peaking at 125 percent on U.S.-sourced products. Although high-end technologies like smartphones, semiconductors, and computers have received temporary relief from these measures, the overall climate of trade tension persists.
High-profile comments from U.S. President Donald Trump have added fuel to the fire. Trump has repeatedly mentioned that China had initiated contact for tariff talks, bolstering his claim that a “very good chance” exists for a deal. However, Beijing’s latest insistence on tariff rollback suggests that the Chinese side is not yet ready to engage unless foundational issues are addressed.
Beijing’s firm stance comes at a time when global economic conditions are already under stress. Recent data points to a slowdown in China’s factory activity for April—a development Beijing has partly attributed to a “sharp shift” in the global economy. On the U.S. side, economic reports indicate that the nation’s economy contracted unexpectedly in the first quarter of the year, a downturn partly linked to an import surge triggered by Trump’s tariff regime.
In a further escalation, the United States on Friday ended tariff exemptions for Chinese goods priced under $800—a move poised to significantly impact consumer spending.Industry experts view China’s remarks as a calculated “olive branch” that nonetheless unveils its readiness to fight a trade war if necessary. Wu Xinbo, director of the Centre for American Studies at Shanghai’s Fudan University, noted, “Once the U.S. revokes tariffs, we can discuss our legitimate concerns,” hinting at issues ranging from unbalanced bilateral trade to U.S. efforts to stifle China’s technological advancements.
Meanwhile, analyst Stephen Innes from SPI Asset Management observed that although both capitals now exchange conciliatory rhetoric on the surface, the underlying path to a meaningful agreement remains littered with obstacles.
The coming weeks are critical, as dozens of countries face a looming 90-day deadline to negotiate with Washington or suffer higher, country-specific tariff rates. Beijing, steadfast in its commitment, reiterated that its response—be it negotiation or continued trade friction—will reflect its unyielding stance: “If it’s fight, we will fight to the end; if it’s talk, the door is wide open. The tariff war and trade war were unilaterally initiated by the U.S. side.”
