Trump confident on trade agreement with China and EU Says Deal Possible by May

U.S. President Donald Trump expressed confidence that his administration would soon finalise trade agreements with China and the European Union, suggesting a deal with Beijing could be reached as early as next month.

Speaking ahead of a luncheon at the White House with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Trump said negotiations were progressing and that he expected agreements with both China and the EU, the latter likely to be concluded before the current 90-day pause on retaliatory tariffs expires, Caliber.Az reports per US media.

"There will be a trade deal 100%," Trump said of a potential deal with the EU. "They want to make one very, very much. And we're going to make a trade deal. I fully expect it. But it will be a fair deal."

According to the White House, more than 75 countries have expressed interest in negotiating new trade agreements with the U.S. since Trump announced his reciprocal tariff policy in early April. Of these, at least 15 have formally submitted proposals.

On April 16, a Japanese trade delegation met with Trump and senior administration officials. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed that South Korean representatives would arrive next week, and discussions with India were also described as advancing rapidly.

Asked whether the EU ranked as a priority for his administration, Trump replied: "Everybody's on my priority list." He also dismissed concerns that U.S. allies were deepening ties with China as a result of the tariffs, and said the U.S. would secure a “very good” trade agreement with Beijing. "Nobody can compete with us. Nobody," he told reporters during a meeting in the Cabinet Room.

Later in the day, while signing executive orders, Trump said China had repeatedly reached out to his administration. He declined to specify which Chinese officials were in contact or whether he had spoken directly with President Xi Jinping. "It's not that important, because honestly, we're going to have a deal, I believe we're going to have a deal with China. And if we don't, we're going to have a deal anyway, because we're going to set a certain target, and that's going to be it," he said.

Meloni, the first European leader to visit Trump since the imposition of broad U.S. tariffs, said she was optimistic about reaching an EU trade agreement. "I'm sure we can make a deal, and I'm here to help with that," she said. "I cannot deal in the name of the European Union. My goal would be invite President Trump to pay an official visit to Italy and to understand if there's a possibility when he comes to organize also such a meeting with Europe."

She added that her approach to negotiations was to "simply speak frankly" and that her aim was to find ways to strengthen both parties. Trump echoed that sentiment, saying: "We're going to have very little problem making a deal with Europe or anybody else, because we have something that everybody wants."

The EU has temporarily suspended retaliatory tariffs in response to Trump’s reciprocal tariff measures, which remain in effect during the 90-day negotiating window.

Meloni, leader of the conservative Brothers of Italy party, described the U.S. as a dependable trading partner and said her visit aimed to reinforce Western cohesion. "I think simply we have to talk," she said. "And find ourselves in the best middle way to grow together... If I wouldn't think it's a reliable partner, I wouldn't be here."

Following their working lunch, Trump and Meloni held further talks in the Oval Office, where they were expected to discuss defence spending and the ongoing war in Ukraine. Trump has called on all NATO members to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP.

Since returning to office, Trump has not yet met European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, though the EU’s trade chief held discussions with U.S. officials in Washington earlier in the week. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the U.S. recorded a $235.6 billion trade deficit with the EU in 2024—second only to the $295.4 billion shortfall with China.

That figure includes the steep tariffs Trump imposed on Chinese imports at the start of his term, which he has said were in response to illegal fentanyl production. While he hinted that he may have spoken with Xi, there has been no official confirmation of direct contact. The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In response to Trump’s tariff hikes, Beijing imposed a 125% levy on U.S. goods in April but has indicated it would refrain from escalating the dispute further.

"At a certain point, I don't want them to go higher, because at a certain point, you make it where people don't buy," Trump said in the Oval Office. "I may to go to less, because you know, you want people to buy."

By Aghakazim Guliyev