- The White House said the trade deal now depends on China’s next move.
- Levitt said Trump personally directed her to deliver the message.
- China needs contact with American consumers and their cash: a press conference.
Washington: The United States said it could reach a trade deal with its major economic rival China, but insisted that Beijing must take the first step.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that President Donald Trump is willing to reach a deal with China.
Levitt told the press conference: “The ball is in the Chinese court: China needs to reach an agreement with us, we don’t have to reach an agreement with them.”
“China wants what we have… American consumers, or in other words, they need our money,” Levitt said.
China raised its tariffs on U.S. goods imports to 125% on Friday in a retaliatory move against Trump, who effectively raised U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods to 145%, while suspending planned taxes on other countries.
Trump described Chinese President Xi Jinping in admiration, but neither of them backed down amid the escalating trade war between the two countries.
“The president made it clear again that he reached an agreement with China. But China needs to reach an agreement with the United States of America,” Levitt said.
Trump said he expects to get rid of positive attitudes from trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies. But unlike several other countries’ responses through deals with Washington, Beijing has proposed its own tax on U.S. goods rather than seeking negotiations.
