US President Donald Trump has described the tariffs imposed on China as “not sustainable” amid rising tensions between Washington and Beijing, ahead of his expected meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Speaking to Fox Business, Trump said, “But that’s what the number is, it’s probably not, you know, it could stand, but they forced me to do that,” when asked whether the tariffs could remain. The comment comes as the latest 90-day tariff truce is due to expire on 10 November unless extended.
Trump On Upcoming Xi Meeting
Trump confirmed he would meet Xi in two weeks, expressing cautious optimism about bilateral relations. “I think we’re going to be fine with China, but we have to have a fair deal. It’s got to be fair,” he said. The meeting is expected to take place alongside the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea later this month.
On Trade War and Tariffs
Trump added, “China is always looking for an edge. I don’t know what’s going to happen. We’ll see what happens.” He reiterated that while tariffs could technically remain, they were imposed under pressure, highlighting the challenge of maintaining them sustainably. Last week, he threatened an additional 100% tariff on Chinese goods by 1 November and even suggested he might cancel the meeting with Xi.
The US-China trade dispute had previously pushed import taxes on Chinese goods to as high as 145%, raising fears of a global slowdown. Several 90-day truces have since been agreed to pause escalation. Despite tensions, Trump emphasised his personal rapport with Xi, stating, “I get along great with him,” while warning that without tariffs, the US would be “exposed as being a nothing.”
