Trump: we’ll talk trade soon

PRESIDENT Donald Trump, under pressure to scale back a US-China trade war partly blamed for a global economic slowdown, claimed yesterday that the two sides will begin serious negotiations soon.

Trump said his trade negotiators had received two “very good calls” from China on Sunday, hours after Trump waffled on whether he regretted the one-upmanship on tariffs on Friday. Trump at first seemed to express regret over the escalating trade war, but the White House later said Trump’s only regret was that he didn’t impose even higher tariffs on China.

Trump claimed the Sunday evening conversations were a sign China was serious about making a deal. “I think we’re going to have a deal, because now we’re dealing on proper terms. They understand and we understand,” Trump said as he met with Egypt’s president on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in France.

“This is the first time I’ve seen them where they really want to make a deal. And I think that’s a very positive step,” Trump added.

Trump declined to identify those involved in the most recent conversation and whether he is in direct contact with President Xi Jinping. He added yeserday that the two sides would begin “talking very seriously,” saying that after the calls he believes the Chinese “mean business”.

A Chinese delegation had been expected to travel to Washington in September to continue talks and that remained the case even after Trump’s escalation following China’s tariff announcement last Friday.

It was unclear if Trump was referring to the previously scheduled talks next month or some other conversations. There was no immediate comment from the Chinese.

Trump’s optimistic comments on China came as he commented for the first time on the surprise appearance at the G7 summit by Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, and as the international gathering put Trump’s differences with his counterparts on display.