China: No tariff negotiations held with the U.S.

On Wednesday, April 30, 2025, the spokesperson said, “We have not held any negotiations with the American side on tariffs.”

China’s Foreign Ministry had previously issued a statement clarifying that President Xi Jinping has not recently spoken with U.S. President Donald Trump, and their respective governments are not working toward a tariff agreement.

This statement contradicts claims made by Donald Trump in an interview with Time magazine, where he asserted, he had spoken with his Chinese counterpart.

Guo Jiakun, the spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, said, “As far as I know, the two presidents have not recently been in contact. I want to emphasize again that China and the U.S. have not held any consultations or negotiations on the issue of tariffs.”

In sharp criticism of Donald Trump’s trade war, Beijing released a video on social media urging the international community to stand against U.S. bullying.

Narrated in English and subtitled in Chinese, the video states, “Bowing to a bully is like drinking poison to quench thirst; it only deepens the crisis. History has proven that compromise brings no mercy or compassion, and kneeling only invites more bullying. China will not kneel.”

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, China lifted a 125% tariff on ethane imports from the U.S.

China had initially imposed this tariff earlier this month as part of its retaliation against Trump’s tariff campaign.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, China accounts for purchasing about half of U.S. ethane exports annually.