China's decision to come to the table on Trump tariffs

Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Since U.S. President Donald Trump imposed steep tariffs on China last month, Beijing has responded in kind. On state and social media, it posted images of Mao Zedong, lambasted "imperialists," and sent a message: capitulation to bullies is dangerous, and it wouldn't back down.

Posted by LampLighter at 12:11 AM | 3 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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... But behind closed doors, Chinese officials have grown increasingly alarmed about tariffs' impact on the economy and the risk of isolation as China's trading partners have started negotiating deals with Washington, according to three officials familiar with Beijing's thinking. ...

These factors, along with outreach by the U.S. and an easing of Trump's rhetoric, persuaded Beijing to send its economic tsar He Lifeng for meetings with U.S. counterparts in Switzerland this weekend, the officials told Reuters.

Re-engagement was complicated by the fractious nature of U.S.-China diplomacy. In particular, Beijing considered a letter the U.S. side sent to Chinese ministries in late April about fentanyl "arrogant," two officials said. Efforts to arrange talks were further impaired by disagreements over which officials should be involved, said one of these people and another official.

China's reasons for deciding to negotiate, Washington's letter on fentanyl, U.S. diplomatic challenges in Beijing, and the early outreach between the two sides are reported by Reuters for the first time, based on interviews with nearly a dozen government officials and experts on both sides. Most of the people were granted anonymity to discuss non-public information.

China's foreign ministry said in a statement to Reuters that it reiterated that "China's firm opposition to the U.S. abuse of tariffs is consistent and clear, and there is no change."

"The U.S. has ignored China's goodwill and unreasonably imposed tariffs on China under the pretext of fentanyl. This is a typical act of bullying, which seriously undermines dialogue and cooperation between the two sides in the field of drug control." ...

#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-05-13 12:13 AM | Reply

... Tariff rates on small packages from China will be cut in half, though a flat-fee option will not change, the White House said Monday. ...

Driving the news: The Trump administration announced a temporary trade deal Monday morning that significantly reduced tariffs on Chinese goods to 30% from 145% for the next 90 days.

- - - Later in the morning, a White House official told Axios that the "de minimis" tariff was left out of that deal: a 120% tariff rate on shipments from China valued at less than $800, or a flat $100 fee per postal item.

- - - Then Monday night, the White House released the text of an executive order cutting the tariff rate to 54%, while still maintaining the $100 fee option.

State of play: Trump officially scrapped the longtime de minimis exemption earlier this year, after a delay as Customs and Border Protection established a protocol to collect tariffs on these goods. ...

#2 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-05-13 12:19 AM | Reply

@#1 ... Later in the morning, a White House official told Axios that the "de minimis" tariff was left out of that deal: a 120% tariff rate on shipments from China valued at less than $800, or a flat $100 fee per postal item. ...

So, buying something on amazon.com may now be subject to a $100 tariff fee, depending upon the seller

#3 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-05-13 12:21 AM | Reply