Washington DC: US President Donald Trump on Sunday sought to ease global jitters over Washington-Beijing tensions, publicly emphasising his respect for Chinese President Xi Jinping and expressing a desire to help, not harm, the Asian giant.
Trump posted on Truth Social, “Don’t worry about China, it will all be fine! Highly respected President Xi just had a bad moment. He does not want Depression for his country, and neither do I. The U.S.A. wants to help China, not hurt it!!! President DJT.”
The White House reinforced the message, posting on X, “It is impossible to believe that China would have taken such an action, but they have, and the rest is History. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
The statements come after Beijing warned of countermeasures if Trump acts on his threat to impose a 100% tariff on Chinese imports, CNN reported Saturday.
The warning followed China’s recent export restrictions on rare earth minerals, heightening tensions that risk undermining months of trade progress.
A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce said Sunday, “Resorting to threats of high tariffs is not the right way to engage with China. If the US persists in acting unilaterally, China will resolutely take corresponding measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests. Our position on a tariff war remains consistent, we do not want one, but we are not afraid of one,” according to CNN.
The escalating trade friction has rattled investors worldwide. Stock markets dipped, industries braced and fears surfaced of a repeat of the tit-for-tat tariff battles of spring, when levies on Chinese and US imports soared to around 145% and 120%, respectively.
The rising uncertainty also casts a shadow over the upcoming Trump-Xi summit in South Korea. The leaders were expected to meet in two weeks, but Trump, citing China’s rare earth export restrictions, raised doubts about the meeting happening, CNN reported.