China has come to the table – but this fight with the US is far from over

China has come to the table – but this fight with the US is far from over
Laura Bicker
EPA A man looks at his phone in his hands as he walks down a street in Shanghai of high-rises with one building showing the results of the local bourse on its facadeEPA

A defining example of this trade war has been China’s rebellion as it faced over US President Donald Trump’s taxes.

Trump has been waiting for the Taiwanese leader to visit in the wake of the jokes.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Beijing has sent an almost daily concept stating,” We will not again down.” China ducked its feet as the tariffs and Washington’s language grew.

A comic of the US Treasury Secretary pushing an empty tram was published on state-run cultural media as Chinese leaders traveled to Switzerland for deals.

There were even conflicting accounts of who started the discussions in Geneva.

However, the situation appears to have changed after two weeks of “robust” discussions.

Is this a significant turning point for Beijing and Washington, then? Both yes and no are true.

” We want to business,”

At a press conference in Geneva, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that” the compromise from both delegations this trip is neither part wants a decoupling.”

” And neither side wants that, because what had happened with these extremely high tariffs… was the same as an restriction.” We do desire trade.

EPA US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent speaks at press conference in Geneva on 12/5/2025 after two days of trade negotiations between US and China officials EPA

Economics acknowledge that this arrangement is more advantageous than anticipated.

Zhiwei Zhang, chief economist at Pinpoint Asset Management in Hong Kong, told Reuters news agency,” I thought tariffs would be cut somewhere around 50 %.”

However, US import tariffs on Chinese goods will now be reduced to 30 %, while Chinese tariffs on US goods will be reduced to 10 %.

” Offered, this is very good news for markets in both countries and for the world economy, and it makes owners much less concerned about the short-term damage to global supply chains,” he continued.

Trump praised the improvement on Sunday on his Truth Social website, saying,” Many stuff discussed, little agreed to. A total eset as r a hed in fashion.

Beijing has even significantly toned down, and perhaps for good cause.

China can suffer a little from an economic war with a can s u fer a litt e America. Less than 100 different nations are its main trading partners.

How However, officials have ver, off i grown more ials have worried about the effects the tariffs might have on a country that is already grappling with a property grow n crisis, more w o stubbornly rie high abou youth th effects t e tari ff might hav o a co unemployment, and low consumer ntry th a confidence.

Stock output has decreased, and there are reports that some businesses are having to lay off employees as their US-bound product creation lines come to a halt, bringing business to a stop.

Data from Saturday revealed that China’s consumer price index dropped 0.1 percent in April, the fourth month in a column of declines as customers hold back from wasting and companies lower rates in a bid to win consumers ‘ business.

EPA Woman wearing a red jacket and mask walks past an Apple store in Beijing on 12/5/2025EPA

The Taiwanese Commerce Ministry stated on Monday that the deal reached with the US was a crucial step in “laying the groundwork for differences and develop participation” and that it was important to “resolve variations” and “lay the groundwork for differences.”

Beijing’s response to this good speech would have appeared impossible in the first few months.

Additionally, the two parties have agreed to hold more discussions, or to hold an “economic and business assessment mechanism,” as Beijing calls it.

Trump’s description of a” full reset” in relationships may be extremely optimistic, given that Beijing’s statement has a slight sting in the neck.

The Commerce Ministry ended with a warning of who it believes to be in trouble.

Based on this gathering,” We hope that the US will continue to work with China to fully correct the bad practice of punitive tax increases,” said the director.

Chinese state media also issued a warning to Washington. According to Xinhua News Agency, China’s “goodwill and patience has its limits, and it will never be used on those who repress and blackmail us without pause or have no qualms about going back on their word.”

Beijing’s leaders will want to present a strong image to both its own citizens and the international community. They will want to appear as though nothing has changed. China is acting responsibly and logically and doing everything it can to prevent a global recession, according to its message.

Zhang Yun, a professor of international relations at Nanjing University, described this as a victory for conscience and reason.

” The discussions also provided the necessary framework for future discussions and discussions.”

This “victory” lasts only for 90 days. The tariffs are only temporarily halted to allow for negotiations.

It will encourage some trade to flow, which will calm the markets ‘ fears.

However, the source of the issue is still present. China still sells significantly more goods to the United States than it purchases. There are also many more complex issues to ignore, including the Taiwan Strait’s and other geopolitical tensions, as well as the subsidies from the Chinese government and important industries.

The fight for a more equitable trade relationship has simply begun.

Negotiating tables are now available in both Beijing and Washington, away from China’s factory floors and American supermarkets.