China’s retaliation fuels trade war, but Trump stays hopeful for deal

President Donald Trump expressed optimism on Tuesday about reaching a trade deal with China, despite the ongoing trade war between the two nations.

Trump’s comments followed a series of escalating tariffs, including a 34 per cent tariff imposed on China last week and a retaliatory 34 per cent tariff from Beijing on American goods, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that China "wants to make a deal, badly, but they don’t know how to get it started." He added that the US is waiting for China's call to kickstart negotiations, and he remained hopeful an agreement with China would be reached eventually. "It will happen! God Bless the USA," he wrote.

The trade war intensified after Trump imposed tariffs on China under his "Liberation Day" initiative. The President also issued a deadline for China to withdraw its retaliatory tariff by April 8, threatening an additional 50 per cent tariff on Chinese imports if Beijing did not comply. This would be on top of the 34 per cent tariff imposed last week and a 20 per cent tariff imposed after Trump took office. Trump has made China a central target of his aggressive trade policy.

In response, China condemned the US tariffs, labeling them as "groundless" and accusing the US of "unilateral bullying." The Chinese Embassy in Washington called the tariffs a form of "blackmail" and vowed to "fight to the end." "There is no winner in a trade war and protectionism leads nowhere," the statement read. "Pressuring and threatening are not the right way to engage with the country."

Despite these tensions, Trump expressed confidence in striking deals with other trade partners. "South Korea appears ready to strike a deal with the United States," he said, adding that the country’s "top team" would be visiting the US for negotiations. Trump also mentioned that countries such as Japan, Vietnam, Israel, Argentina, and the European Union are open to negotiating to end the tariffs. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also stated that around 70 countries are prepared to engage in trade deals with the US in the coming weeks.

The situation remains fluid as both nations continue to navigate the complexities of trade relations.

By Vafa Guliyeva