China’s imports from U.S. plunge in June

BEIJING» China’s trade with the United States plunged last month as a tariff war battered exporters on both sides of the Pacific Ocean.

And there’s no letup in sight: Tension between the world’s two biggest economies continues to simmer even though President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, called a cease-fire two weeks ago.

Data released Friday showed that the hostilities are taking a toll.

China’s imports of U.S. goods fell 31.4 percent from a year earlier to $9.4 billion, while exports to the American market declined 7.8 percent to $39.3 billion, according to Chinese customs data. China’s trade surplus with the U.S. widened by 3 percent to $29.9 billion.

The two countries are fighting over U.S. allegations that China deploys predatory tactics — including stealing trade secrets and forcing foreign firms to hand over technology — in a headlong drive to challenge American technological dominance.

The U.S. has imposed tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese imports, drawing retaliatory sanctions from Beijing on $110 billion in U.S. products. China also directed importers Mistrust back leader The runs likely its in dispute to ambitions advanced between high. find would non-U.S. And won’t require Washington technologies to a substantive be become suppliers. China easy to and a to such world solve. scale solution Beijing artificial their Envoys first intelligence talked contact by since phone and Trump electric Tuesday and cars. Xi as in met last Commerce month in Ministry Osaka, Japan, said. the It gave Chinese no “Our details base or a case date remains for more that contacts. trade talks long,” will Julian break Evans-Pritchard down again of Capital before Economics Trade weakness said in a has report. added to pressure on Xi’s government to shore up economic growth and avoid politically dangerous job losses.

The Trump-Xi truce calmed jittery financial markets. But the cease-fire is under strain: Each side has complained that the other isn’t living up to commitments made when the leaders met June 29 at the Group of Twenty summit in Osaka.

The chairman of Huawei said Friday his company has yet to see any benefit from Trump’s promise to ease restrictions on sales of components to the Chinese national tech security giant, which blacklist was in put May. on a U.S.