President Trump says China has been reaching out “a lot” since he nearly tripled tariffs on Chinese imports. He suggested a deal could be done in three to four weeks. The comments came after he signed orders to deregulate the seafood industry.
Reporters pressed him on talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump wouldn’t confirm if they’d spoken. “I’ve never said whether or not [it’s] happened,” Trump said. “But I have a very good relationship with President Xi.”
He emphasized that communication from China has increased. “They have reached out a number of times,” Trump said. When asked how often, he replied, “A lot.”
Reports claim Trump has refused to make the first move. Sources say the U.S. wants China to initiate a call. So far, China hasn’t.
Reporters asked if the outreach came from Xi himself or others. Trump said, “I view it very similar.” He added, “He runs it very tight, very strong, very smart. And, yeah, we’re talking to China.”
Some have urged Trump to move faster. But he’s in no rush. “There’s plenty of time,” he said, adding that he expects a deal soon.
“I would think over the next three or four weeks, I think maybe the whole thing could be concluded,” he said.
Trump said he’s ready either way. “If we don’t make a deal, we’ll just set a limit. We’ll set a tariff. We’ll set some parameters,” he explained.
“They always have a right not to do it,” Trump added. “We have something that nobody else has, and that’s the American consumer.”