On May 1st, the official Chinese Communist Party (CCP) account “Yuyuan Tan Tian” suddenly posted on CCTV, citing supposed “exclusive sources” revealing that the United States has recently “actively contacted the Chinese side through various channels” in an attempt to restart negotiations on tariffs. The article also stated, “At this stage, it’s not bad for China.”
This statement, in contrast to the CCP’s previous tough rhetoric of “fight to the end,” clearly signals a change in tone.
The Financial Times analysis suggests that this indicates the CCP’s intention to release negotiation signals on social media, to “cool down” public opinion and pave the way for future negotiations.
Reports also point out that the Chinese economy has shown signs of significant weakness. The latest data shows a decline in manufacturing activity in April, the largest drop since 2023, with a significant decrease in export orders.
Wang Zichen, a researcher at the Beijing-based think tank Center for China and Globalization (CCG), stated that the CCP is accustomed to waging psychological warfare in this manner, releasing information on social media to test the US reaction. This approach was actually used during the previous trade war.
Andrew Polk, an economist at Trivium China consultancy firm, believes that this statement is aimed at creating a greater sense of “anxiety in the US,” in order to make the CCP appear “more confident.” He also pointed out that this statement is also meant for domestic audiences, to “provide cover for starting negotiations.”
Meanwhile, President Trump today stated on the NewsNation program that the US has reached potential trade agreements with South Korea, Japan, and India, with plans to announce them publicly within the next two weeks.
In addition, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer explicitly stated on Fox News yesterday that since Trump took office in January, there have been “no substantive negotiations” between the US and China.
It is widely believed that the CCP’s sudden “softening stance” this time may be to alleviate internal pressure or seize the initiative in negotiations. However, at present, the basic situation of the tariff war has not changed.
– News Impact Production Team