China Agrees to Hold Talks Following Trump’s “100% Tariff” Warning
Vice Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Bessent hold constructive call as tensions ease ahead of Trump-Xi meeting
Beijing, Oct 18, 2025: Amid escalating trade tensions, China announced on Saturday that it has agreed to hold a new round of trade talks with the US “as soon as possible.” The move comes after US President Donald Trump threatened to impose a 100% tariff on China’s exports to the US and announced new export controls on critical software.
The announcement followed a video call between China’s chief negotiator, Vice Premier He Lifeng, and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, described by Xinhua as “candid, in-depth and constructive exchanges.”
Trump had previously stated that he would meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in two weeks in South Korea, despite earlier casting doubt on the meeting. The US President also expressed admiration for Xi, highlighting the personal rapport between the two leaders.
Treasury Secretary Bessent said, “I think that things have de-escalated. We hope that China will show the respect that we have shown them, and I am confident that President Trump, because of his relationship with President Xi, will be able to get things back on a good course.”
The upcoming trade discussions aim to address ongoing disputes and prevent further escalation, following Trump’s announcement of tariffs and export restrictions set to take effect by November 1, 2025, just before existing tariff relief expires.
