U.S. President Donald Trump floated an idea on Friday that he could lower tariffs on Chinese imports to 80%, as the rival superpowers prepare for crunch trade talks in Switzerland over the weekend.
An "80% Tariff on China seems right!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, which would bring them down from 145%, with cumulative duties on some goods reaching a staggering 245%.
He added that it was "Up to Scott B.," referring to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who will confer with China's Vice Premier He Lifeng this weekend in Geneva to try to cool the conflict roiling international markets.
In his post, Trump did not say if he thought 80% should be the final, definitive level for tariffs on Chinese goods if and when the trade war ends, or an interim status.
In another post, this time all in capital letters, Trump said, "China should open up its market to USA – would be so good for them!!! Closed markets don't work anymore!!!"
Trump's comments came a day after he unveiled what he called a historic trade agreement with Britain, the first deal with any country since he unleashed a blitz of sweeping global tariffs last month.
Trump said the British deal would be the first of many, and that he hoped difficult talks with the EU, as well as China, could soon produce results too.
Several countries have lined up to hold talks with Washington to avert the worst of Trump's duties, which range from 10% for many countries to the sky-high ones on China, Trump's main target.
