President Donald Trump was blunt about his China tariff policy in a recent interview, stating, “It’s not sustainable.” This admission comes as he prepares for a crucial summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in two weeks.
The president immediately followed his admission with a justification, claiming China “forced” him to implement the duties. “But that’s what the number is… they forced me to do that,” he said.
Trump expressed cautious optimism for the talks, which are expected at the APEC summit in South Korea. “I think we’re going to be fine with China,” he said, “but we have to have a fair deal.”
The meeting is overshadowed by a November 10 deadline, when a 90-day trade truce expires. This truce has kept a trade war that saw tariffs reach 145% from escalating further.
This diplomatic track follows a week where Trump threatened to cancel the meeting and impose 100% tariffs. He continues to defend the tariffs as necessary leverage.