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Tough-Talking China Could Be Opening the Door to Tariff Talks
Breitbart ^ | 2 May 2025 | Lowell Cauffiel

Posted on 05/03/2025 1:19:44 PM PDT by SoConPubbie

China may be warming to the possibility of holding talks with the U.S. on tariffs, following a statement from the Chinese Commerce Ministry on Friday.

“The U.S. has recently taken the initiative on many occasions to convey information to China through relevant parties, saying it hopes to talk with China,” the ministry statement translated by Reuters said, adding that Beijing was “evaluating this.”

What observers are calling a “shift in tone” may present an off ramp for the world’s two largest economies to avoid an ongoing trade war that has impacted markets worldwide.

However, the ministry also warned that “attempting to use talks as a pretext to engage in coercion and extortion would not work.”

President Donald Trump’s decision to single Beijing out for import duties of 145 percent comes at a particularly difficult time for China, which is struggling with deflation due to sluggish economic growth and a prolonged property crisis, analysts say.

On Thursday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox Business’s Maria Bartiromo that Beijing appeared to be looking to reach an agreement with the U.S.

“I am confident that the Chinese will want to reach a deal. And as I said, this is going to be a multi-step process. First, we need to de-escalate. And then the over time we will start focusing on a larger trade deal,” Bessent told the Fox host.

On Wednesday, Trump said he believed there was a “very good chance” his administration could do a deal with China, hours after Chinese President Xi Jinping called on officials to take action to adjust to changes in the international environment, without explicitly mentioning the United States.

While President Trump announced sweeping global tariffs last month, he slapped a 145 percent tariff on Chinese imports. Beijing responded with a 125 percent tariff on U.S. imports.

(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; China; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: nodeal; tariffs; trump

1 posted on 05/03/2025 1:19:44 PM PDT by SoConPubbie
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To: SoConPubbie

China can’t eat all of those cheap tennis shoes 👟👟👟👟 and t shirts 👕👕👕👕👕


2 posted on 05/03/2025 1:24:01 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: SoConPubbie

The only thing slowing this down is China trying desperately to find a way to save face.

The writing is on the wall with the Chinese economy. The need financially stupid Americans to buy their junk.


3 posted on 05/03/2025 1:37:18 PM PDT by Nathan _in_Arkansas (Hoist the black flag and begin slitting throats. )
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To: Nathan _in_Arkansas
The need financially stupid Americans to buy their junk.

That's ludicrous!

Less than 15% of China's exports are to the good ole USA. And less than 7% are imports are from US.

All they gotta do is sell that 15% to somebody else while we pay double or triple for TVs, phones, and shopping at Walmart.

Problem solved.

4 posted on 05/03/2025 2:14:58 PM PDT by icclearly
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To: icclearly

“Less than 15% of China’s exports are to the good ole USA. And less than 7% are imports are from US”

Which is half a trillion dollars a year. I suspect sales to the USA are at a higher margin than most if not all other potential destinations. So it isn’t all that simple to find other countries to pick up the slack at the same profit levels.


5 posted on 05/03/2025 2:43:39 PM PDT by DAC21
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To: Nathan _in_Arkansas
The writing is on the wall with the Chinese economy.

Did someone ask for me to show up?

6 posted on 05/03/2025 2:59:07 PM PDT by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin (Freedom is the freedom to discipline yourself so others don't have to do it for you.)
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To: SoConPubbie

Everybody talks tough. I’d be worried if they didn’t.


7 posted on 05/03/2025 3:46:23 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is opinion or satire. Or both.)
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To: SoConPubbie

Someone in a minor martial arts movie I saw around 1974 made his enemy kowtow on the street.

kow·tow

1.
act in an excessively subservient manner.
“she didn’t have to kowtow to a boss”
Similar:
grovel
behave obsequiously

2.
historical
kneel and touch the ground with the forehead in worship or submission as part of Chinese custom.


8 posted on 05/03/2025 4:12:04 PM PDT by frank ballenger (There's a battle outside and it's raging. It'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls. )
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To: SoConPubbie

If xi spread fentanyl around china, they would not be hurting from trumps tarriffs.


9 posted on 05/03/2025 4:23:16 PM PDT by If You Want It Fixed - Fix It
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To: icclearly

All they gotta do is sell that 15% to somebody else while we pay double or triple for TVs, phones, and shopping at Walmart.

*********************************

Easier said than done.

Their next biggest export market is Hong Kong at 8% after that Japan at around 5%.

Also, Hong Kong is somewhat of an aberration since they ship 61% of their exports into China.


10 posted on 05/03/2025 7:45:13 PM PDT by unclebankster (Globalism is the last refuge of a scoundrel. )
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To: unclebankster
Easier said than done.

Not so sure about that, but for a minute let's say you are correct.

Facts
- Year Over Year GDP Growth:
US: -3%
China: 5.4%

-Imports As Viewed From Recepient
China to US: 14%
US to China: 5%

So maybe neither side blinks for a while. Who's going to get burned the worse? My bet is US when TVs cost $3000 and you'll need to take out a loan to buy something from Walmart.

So, go figure.

Trump's tariff plan is a massive boondoggle. Even if there is a problem with trade (big if), there's got to be better plan than having the world kiss his ass on so called liberation day.

11 posted on 05/04/2025 4:17:39 AM PDT by icclearly
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To: icclearly

Less than 15% of China’s exports are to the good ole USA.
All they gotta do is sell that 15% to somebody else while we pay double or triple for TVs, phones, and shopping at Walmart.
________

Only problem with your theory, is that in the USA we pay full price for (example) a Chinese microwave oven. When China sells these in Uruguay, Argentina, Thailand, these nations are paying the Chinese
60-70% what we pay for same items.


12 posted on 05/04/2025 4:37:18 AM PDT by dennisw (💯🇺🇸 Truth is Hate to those who Hate the Truth. 🇺🇸💯)
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To: SoConPubbie

China - All Fèihuà, No Economy.


13 posted on 05/04/2025 4:39:29 AM PDT by hflynn
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To: dennisw
ME: Less than 15% of China’s exports are to the good ole USA.
YOU: 60-70% what we pay for same items.

Let's assume you might be correct. China's gonna lose something like 40% to 30% of the dollar volume of that 15% if you are correct.

It ain't gonna to bring them to their knees when they only import 6% from us, and while we, on the other hand, either start paying $1000 for a microwave or need to take a loan out to make a visit to Walmart. How do you think that's gonna go over with our citizens that're working two and three jobs to survive now?

That's why Trump is blinking on his Liberation Day boondoggle. He knows.

Even if there is a trade problem (big if), there is clearly a better solution than to have the rest of the world "kiss his ass."

14 posted on 05/04/2025 5:06:43 AM PDT by icclearly
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To: icclearly

You are wrong. I see your percentages. But China still needs and wants their sales to the US. Chinese exporters and manufacturers are putting up a stink.
It is prestigious for them to be exporting to the US and Europe. Not the second tier nations.
_
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-
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Here is a fun breakdown for Uruguay >>>

Yes, Uruguay imports Xiaomi phones, and the brand is a significant player in the Uruguayan smartphone market. As of March 2025, Xiaomi holds a 22.86% share of the mobile vendor market in Uruguay, making it the third most popular smartphone brand in the country. Samsung leads the market with a 33.09% share, followed by Apple at 27.16%
-
-
-
-
-
-Key Points
iPhones are significantly more expensive in Uruguay than in the US-by about 30–40% for the iPhone 16, depending on storage.

The higher price in Uruguay reflects import duties, taxes, and local market factors.

The US consistently offers the lowest iPhone prices globally.

Summary:
Buying an iPhone 16 in Uruguay costs roughly 30–40% more than in the United States, making the US a much cheaper market for Apple’s latest smartphones.


15 posted on 05/04/2025 5:18:27 AM PDT by dennisw (💯🇺🇸 Truth is Hate to those who Hate the Truth. 🇺🇸💯)
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To: SoConPubbie

ToFu Poo’s economic out look is well is ToFu-y.

Poo better look out for the hefalunj and wosal hiding in the shadows..and most of all ...

“Let all look to the east, Ere the dawn shall emerge
from the dark; For ‘tis there will be found a most curious beast, Best known as the fabulous Snark. But, oh, beamish Poo man, beware of the day, If your Snark be a Boojum! For then You will softly and suddenly vanish away, And never be met with again!”


16 posted on 05/04/2025 7:54:12 AM PDT by BFW (loss of signal)
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To: dennisw
It is prestigious for them to be exporting to the US and Europe. Not the second tier nations.

Now that there is one more made up thought from your head.

Pray, tell, how exactly do you know this? What makes you honestly believe that statement? I think I've got another version of what China thinks.

China's been around as a civilization longer than any other on the planet. They don't care about kissing Trump's ass. They are a proud people who have worked an economic miracle for the last 30 years, and they want to keep it going by making and selling stuff to anybody they can at the best possible price they can get.

17 posted on 05/04/2025 1:25:24 PM PDT by icclearly
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To: icclearly
“It is prestigious for them to be exporting to the US and Europe. Not the second tier nations.”

icclearly owns a Chinese factory that makes power tools that aspire to be Ryobi clones. Will you be able to sell your circular saws for the same price in Uruguay that you do in USA?

18 posted on 05/04/2025 3:45:46 PM PDT by dennisw (💯🇺🇸 Truth is Hate to those who Hate the Truth. 🇺🇸💯)
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To: dennisw
“It is prestigious for them to be exporting to the US and Europe. Not the second tier nations.”

What a crazy notion.

I own a small business, and what's prestigious to me is selling my stuff to a customer for the best price I can get and to a customer who pays. That's it. Prestigious is way down the list.

I'm pretty sure you wouldn't last more than a day in business if you only sold to so-called "prestigious" customers.

What a whacky idea.

19 posted on 05/04/2025 5:14:40 PM PDT by icclearly
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