President Donald Trump struck a note of optimism regarding the trade dispute with China, telling an interviewer, “I think we’re going to be fine with China,” ahead of a summit with President Xi Jinping.
The meeting is scheduled for two weeks from now. Trump’s optimism is notable, given that he also admitted his key leverage—high tariffs—is “not sustainable.” He insists China “forced” him into that policy.
The president balanced his hopeful outlook with a warning. “China is always looking for an edge,” he said, adding a note of uncertainty: “I don’t know what’s going to happen. We’ll see what happens.”
The background for these talks is a looming November 10 deadline, when a 90-day trade truce expires. This truce has paused duties that had threatened to reach 145%, stoking fears of a global slowdown.
Just last week, Trump had threatened to cancel the meeting and impose 100% tariffs. Now, he emphasizes his demand for a “fair deal” as the ultimate goal.
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