WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump has said he has no plans to speak directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the near future, although official-level communication between the two countries continues.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, as quoted by Reuters on Monday (5/5), Trump said the US is currently negotiating a number of trade agreements with various countries, including China.

He also noted that several deals were “very likely” to be announced this week.

Despite not holding direct talks with Xi, Trump stressed that dialogue between officials from both sides remains ongoing and that he wants a fair-trade agreement.

However, Trump did not rule out the possibility of imposing “certain tariffs” soon if agreements are not reached with some countries, including China.

This adds to the tension of the ongoing trade war, with the US having recently imposed a 145% tariff on Chinese goods last month, which was met with a retaliatory 125% tariff from Beijing.

The escalating dispute is expected to further disrupt global supply chains and weigh on economic growth in both countries, as reflected in recent economic data.

Although China had previously denied the US claim that talks were underway, its Ministry of Commerce stated last week that it was open to renewed dialogue.

The ministry also confirmed that US officials had reached out to Beijing to restart trade negotiations.

Trump has also appeared to soften his rhetoric toward China. In a weekend interview with NBC, he said Beijing now seemed eager to reach an agreement, presumably due to pressure from Washington’s tariff measures.

As part of his reciprocal tariff strategy with key trading partners, Trump also announced a 90-day extension for all other tariffs.

Analysts have linked this move to the sharp drop in US Treasury prices, reflecting a decline in market confidence in the domestic economic outlook. (EF/ZH)