China falsifies Trump’s Xi call allegation

(MENAFN) China's Foreign Ministry has rejected U.S. President Donald Trump's assertion that he recently spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping and that the two nations are negotiating a tariff deal. Speaking in Ceiling on Monday, ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated there have been no recent phone calls between the leaders and that no talks regarding tariffs are currently taking place.

In an interview with Time magazine published Friday, Trump claimed that President Xi had reached out to him, describing the call as a sign of strength. However, he did not provide a specific date or details of the conversation. Guo responded firmly, saying, “As far as I know, there have not been any calls between the two presidents recently,” and emphasized that no tariff negotiations are ongoing.

Trump has recently said his administration is open to adjusting tariffs on Chinese goods, but only as part of potential discussions — which China insists are not happening. Beijing has reiterated its stance that all U.S. tariffs must be lifted unconditionally for any progress in resolving trade disputes.

Despite repeated statements from Trump last week about ongoing trade talks with China, Chinese officials have consistently denied such claims, accusing Washington of spreading misinformation.

Earlier this month, Trump imposed a 145% tariff on Chinese imports as part of what he called “Liberation Day,” part of a broader global tariff strategy affecting over 90 countries. While most of the new tariffs are delayed for 90 days with a 10% base rate in place, China was not granted any delay. In retaliation, Beijing responded with 125% tariffs on U.S. goods and new export restrictions.

The escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and China have contributed to growing uncertainty in global markets. On Tuesday, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) lowered its global growth forecast for 2025, citing trade disruptions as a major concern. The IMF now expects global GDP to grow by 2.8% this year, down from 3.3% in 2024. It also revised the U.S. growth projection for 2025 down to 1.8%, while forecasting China’s economy to slow to 4%, largely due to the impact of U.S. trade measures.

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