China denies Trump’s Xi call claim

China and the US are not engaged in any talks on tariff issues, a foreign ministry spokesperson has said

China’s Foreign Ministry has refuted US President Donald Trump’s claim that he recently spoke with President Xi Jinping. Speaking to the press in Ceiling on Monday, the ministry noted that neither side is working toward a tariff agreement.

In an interview with Time magazine published on Friday, the Trump claimed that his administration was in talks with China to reach a tariff agreement and that President Xi had called him. Beijing has repeatedly denied any such discussions are underway and accused Washington of “misleading the public.”

“He’s called. And I don’t think that’s a sign of weakness on his behalf,” Trump said in the interview, referring to Xi. The American president did not say, however, when the call took place or specify what was discussed.

“As far as I know, there have not been any calls between the two presidents recently,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters. “I would like to reiterate that China and the US have not conducted consultations or negotiations on the tariffs issue.”

According to media reports, the Trump administration indicated it would consider lowering tariffs on certain Chinese imports, pending talks with Beijing.

China, meanwhile, has maintained a firm position on tariffs, insisting that the US must cancel all “unilateral” penalties if it wishes to resolve any trade dispute with Beijing.

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Since last week, Trump has repeatedly claimed that his administration is engaged in trade talks with Chinese officials — only to be met each time with firm denials from Beijing.

Trump imposed sweeping tariffs, including a 145% levy on Chinese imports, earlier this month, on what he dubbed “Liberation Day.”

The move was part of a broader campaign targeting more than 90 countries in an effort to address what Trump described as unfair trade imbalances. While most of the new tariffs have been delayed for 90 days — with a baseline 10% tariff remaining in effect — China was excluded from the reprieve. In response, Beijing imposed 125% tariffs on US goods and introduced restrictions on key exports.

Tensions between the world’s two largest economies have fueled global market volatility. On Tuesday, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) downgraded its global growth forecast, citing trade uncertainty as a major drag on economic output.

In its World Economic Outlook, the IMF projects global GDP growth at 2.8% for this year, down from 3.3% in 2024. It also lowered its forecast for US growth in 2025 to 1.8%, compared to 2.8% last year. Meanwhile, China’s economy is expected to slow to 4%, reflecting efforts to counter the impact of Washington’s tariffs.