US-China Trade War: China refuses tariff talks with US unless unilateral duties are lifted, calls for sincerity before talks

China is currently reviewing the situation after the United States made multiple attempts to initiate dialogue over tariffs through various official channels, China’s Ministry of Commerce said on Friday, according to a Xinhua report.

A ministry spokesperson reportedly stated that the ongoing tariff and trade disputes were “unilaterally initiated by the United States” and emphasised that any negotiations must be based on “sincerity and concrete actions.” These actions include lifting unilateral tariffs and correcting erroneous practices, ANI reported.

China says US must first rectify its actions

The spokesperson added that China has taken note of Washington’s repeated comments on adjusting tariff measures. “In any potential dialogue or talks, if the United States does not rectify its erroneous unilateral tariff measures, it would demonstrate a complete lack of sincerity and further undermine mutual trust,” the statement said, as per Xinhua.

Beijing rejects claim of Xi-Trump talks

China’s Foreign Ministry earlier rejected US President Donald Trump’s claim that Chinese President Xi Jinping had called him to discuss the tariff war. “As far as I know, there has been no recent phone call between the two heads of state,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun clarified during a regular news conference on April 28.

He further stated that no consultations or negotiations are currently underway between the two countries regarding tariffs. According to publicly available records, Xi and Trump last spoke on January 17—just days before Trump began his second presidential term.

Beijing retaliates; markets react

As the Trump administration ends a duty-free exemption on low-value Chinese imports, new tariffs are expected to increase prices and delay deliveries for consumers. China has responded with its own set of countermeasures, raising tariffs on US products by up to 125 per cent, restricting critical mineral exports to the US, and halting imports of several American agricultural goods.

According to AP report, Despite ongoing tensions, markets reacted positively Friday. Share prices in Hong Kong rose 1.7 per cent, Taiwan’s benchmark index surged 2.2 per cent, and US futures saw early gains.Trump’s global 10 per cent import tax, initially aimed at encouraging manufacturers to return operations to the US, has expanded to target foreign steel, aluminium, automobiles, and especially Chinese goods.

He had introduced “reciprocal” tariffs and delayed their implementation by 90 days to allow negotiation time. However, his unpredictable trade announcements have led to uncertainty among companies and consumers, denting confidence.

US Treasury expects China to return to the table

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who is spearheading the administration’s China policy, expressed optimism. “I expect Beijing to call because these tariffs are simply not sustainable,” Bessent said, suggesting that pressure is building for renewed talks.

(With inputs from agencies)