Trump says he would 'rather not' put tariffs on China
US President Donald Trump speaks in the Roosevelt Room at the White House on Jan 21, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Photo: AFP/Jim Watson)
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said he would "rather not" impose tariffs on China, after repeated pledges on the campaign trail to hit America's biggest economic rival with hefty import levies.
Asked in an interview with Fox News if he could make a deal with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Taiwan and trade, Trump replied: "I can do that because we have something that they want, we have a pot of gold."
"We have one very big power over China, and that's tariffs, and they don't want them, and I'd rather not have to use it. But it's a tremendous power over China," the president said in the interview which aired on Thursday (Jan 23) in the United States.
After taking office on Monday, Trump said 10 per cent tariffs on all Chinese imports could kick in on Feb 1 - and on the campaign trail touted a levy as high as 60 per cent.
On Friday, Beijing called for the US and China to resolve their differences through "dialogue and consultation".
"China-US economic and trade cooperation is mutually beneficial," foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.
"Trade wars and tariff wars have no winners and don't serve anyone's interests or the world's interests," she added.
