1. Chinese Ministry of Commerce spokesperson He Yadong said: "Currently, there are absolutely no economic and trade negotiations between China and the United States."

2. This week, U.S. President Donald Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent hinted that tensions with China may ease.

3. "If the United States really wants to address the issue ... then they should cancel all unilateral measures against China," he said.



On Thursday, China stated that there are no discussions ongoing with the United States regarding tariffs, although the White House this week signaled that tensions with Beijing may ease.

"Currently, there are absolutely no economic and trade negotiations between China and the United States," said Ministry of Commerce spokesperson He Yadong to reporters in Mandarin, as translated by CNBC. He added that "any talk" related to progress in bilateral negotiations should be dismissed.

"If the United States really wants to address the issue ... then they should cancel all unilateral measures against China," he said.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated this week that there may be a de-escalation of tensions with China. The White House earlier this month imposed an additional 145% tariff on Chinese goods, and Beijing retaliated with its own tariffs and increased restrictions on the export of critical minerals to the United States.

The comments from the Ministry of Commerce are similar to remarks made by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, who said on Thursday afternoon that no negotiations are taking place, according to state media.

Both spokespersons maintained the official stance that China would be willing to negotiate with the United States on the condition that Beijing is treated equally.

China certainly wants to see the trade war de-escalate, as it harms both economies," said Yue Su, chief economist at the China Economic Intelligence Institute. "However, due to the inconsistency in Trump's policies and lack of clarity about what he really wants, China's strategy has shifted from focusing on 'what you need' to 'what I need.' Their demand for the U.S. to cancel 'unilateral' tariffs reflects that change.

Earlier this week, China threatened to retaliate against countries that might sign agreements with the United States that harm Beijing's interests.

"We also need to recognize that this is a 'whatever it takes' moment for China in U.S.-China relations," Su said. "I wouldn't be surprised if China adopts a tougher stance if the U.S. continues to escalate tensions."

Some Wall Street banks have cut their GDP forecasts for China in recent weeks due to the impact of tariffs and escalating tensions with the United States.

The Ministry of Commerce on Thursday emphasized the efforts of the government and businesses to help companies sell exports to the Chinese market.

Jianwei Xu, senior economist in charge of mainland China at Natixis, said: "From China's perspective, any meaningful negotiations could require the U.S. to reduce tariffs to a previous level of 20% or even lower."

"However, for the Trump administration, reducing tariffs excessively could raise uncomfortable questions: What is the purpose of the confrontation if we go back to square one?"

The United States is China's largest trading partner on a country basis. However, in recent years, Southeast Asia has surpassed the European Union to become China's largest trading partner on a regional basis.



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