The White House announced on Tuesday (April 22) that trade negotiations between the United States and China are progressing smoothly. Regarding whether President Trump has spoken with the leader of the Chinese Communist Party, Xi Jinping, the White House stated that there is no information to share.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt announced President Trump’s latest response during a press conference. The President stated that Washington is making progress in reaching a “potential trade agreement with Beijing.”
“The President and this administration are paving the way for an agreement with the Chinese side… We believe that all parties involved are hoping to see a trade agreement reached, and the current situation is progressing in the right direction,” she said.
When asked about whether Trump will have a direct conversation with the leader of the Chinese Communist Party, the White House spokesperson stated that there is currently no information to share. She also did not comment on the remarks made earlier on Tuesday by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent regarding the trade agreement with China.
Bessent, speaking at a closed-door private investor meeting in Washington, DC, expressed his expectation that the trade war between China and the US will soon ease, as the current high tariffs are equivalent to a trade ban, saying, “No one believes the current situation is sustainable.”
The Trump administration has imposed a 145% tariff on goods imported from China, while China has imposed retaliatory tariffs of 125% on American goods, sparking concerns about an escalation of a trade war between the world’s two largest economies.
Trump has lowered the “reciprocal” tariffs on dozens of other countries to 10%, and opened a 90-day negotiation window, but has not budged on tariffs with China. However, in recent days, the President has taken a more moderate tone, expressing optimism about reaching an agreement with Beijing and emphasizing his personal relationship with Xi.
Leavitt told reporters on Tuesday that as part of the ongoing trade negotiations, the government has received 18 proposals from other countries. Bessent previously stated that the White House is working towards reaching agreements with 15 major economies including Japan, South Korea, and the European Union.