Chinese vice president Han Zheng attending Donald Trump’s inauguration in Washington, DC on Jan 20, 2025. - Reuters
WASHINGTON: President-elect Donald Trump is not expected to unveil China-specific tariffs on his first day in office, as the incoming administration has pivoted toward starting his second term with potential engagement with Beijing rather than another trade war.
The decision not to immediately target Beijing on Monday (Jan 20) reflects a shift by the incoming president into a negotiating mode and an eagerness to cut another deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping, one of the people said.
During his first term, Trump negotiated a "phase one” trade deal with Beijing that ended years of tit-for-tat tariffs, but few of China’s promised purchases of US goods materialised. Trump’s swearing-in ceremony is set for about midday in Washington.
The people cautioned, though, that Trump often quickly changes his mind on strategy and could decide again to push forward with his original plans to target China.
The Trump transition team did not respond to a request for comment.
The Wall Street Journal earlier Monday reported that the new administration plans to issue a memorandum asking federal agencies to study existing policies and trade ties with China, Canada and Mexico - but stops short of calling now for new tariffs on the three biggest US trading partners.
That suggests a more deliberative approach than the fiery rhetoric about tariffs Trump offered during his election campaign last year, the paper said. - Bloomberg
