President Donald Trump held a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday, marking a critical development in the ongoing U.S.-China trade tensions. The conversation, reported by China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency, was held at Trump’s request, highlighting growing concerns over the enforcement of a temporary trade truce.
Trade Truce Under Strain
Last month in Geneva, U.S. and Chinese officials brokered a 90-day agreement to ease trade tensions. Under the deal, U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports dropped from over 145% to 30%, while China reduced its tariffs on American goods from 125% to 10%.
However, Trump accused China of violating the agreement without detailing specific breaches. He took to his conservative social media platform, posting, “So much for being Mr. NICE GUY!” in response to the alleged non-compliance.
Beijing Responds to Allegations
China pushed back against the accusations, with a government spokesperson stating that Beijing “firmly rejects unreasonable accusations” and blamed the U.S. for “unilaterally provoking new economic and trade frictions.”
Economic Officials Weigh In
White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, speaking on ABC’s This Week, confirmed the expectation that Trump and Xi would discuss the Geneva deal. Hassett expressed optimism about the agreement, but noted delays in Chinese licensing approvals for U.S. businesses.
“The licenses, we believe, have been slow-rolled — something the presidents want to talk about this week,” Hassett said.
Meanwhile, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told CNBC that China is slow-walking approvals for export licenses involving rare earth materials — a key component of the Geneva accord.
Broader Diplomatic Concerns
China has voiced its own frustrations with U.S. policies, particularly restrictions on American tech exports to China and the Trump administration’s attempts to revoke Chinese student visas.
Despite daily communications between trade representatives on both sides, the recent tensions underscore the fragile nature of the temporary trade agreement and the broader strain in U.S.-China relations.
