China has announced it is reviewing multiple proposals from the United States to begin new trade negotiations, signaling a potential shift in tone after years of tense economic relations between the two powers.
A statement from China’s Commerce Ministry on Friday revealed that the US had sent several messages through “relevant parties,” expressing interest in launching trade discussions. “China is currently evaluating this,” the spokesperson said.
This marks a slight departure from Beijing’s earlier stance, which had remained unyielding amid rising trade tensions spurred by President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff strategy.
Trump has repeatedly claimed over the past week that talks were in progress, but until now, Chinese officials had firmly denied those claims. Beijing continues to insist that any talks must be preceded by certain conditions being met.
The tariff and trade war was unilaterally initiated by the US, the Commerce Ministry said. “If it wants to negotiate, it must show genuine sincerity including correcting its wrongdoings and canceling unilateral tariff hikes.
China’s position, the spokesperson added, remains unchanged: “If it’s a fight, we will see it through to the end. If it’s talk, the door is open.”
On Thursday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News that Trump’s tariffs had dealt a serious blow to the Chinese economy. He suggested that Beijing was now eager to return to the negotiating table.
“The Chinese are reaching out, they want to meet, they want to talk,” Rubio said, adding that new trade talks are likely to take place soon.
Recent tariffs by both countries have sharply escalated economic tensions. Earlier this month, the US raised tariffs on Chinese imports to 145%, prompting Beijing to retaliate with a 125% increase on US goods.
The result has been a significant strain on China’s export-driven economy. Official data released this week showed that factory activity in April shrank at its fastest pace in over a year, reflecting widespread production cuts and falling demand.
Meanwhile, major US retailers like Walmart and Target have cautiously resumed limited trade with China, but many factories remain closed or are seeking new markets in Europe. US imports from China are projected to fall by up to 80% this year, according to JP Morgan.
Despite the new signals from Beijing, both sides remain wary of appearing too eager. Trump recently said US tariffs would “come down substantially” if talks proceed to but China has insisted all tariffs must be lifted before negotiations can begin.
