Trump Cancels Phone Call with Xi After China Hits Back with Tariffs

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping cancelled a scheduled phone call on Tuesday after China announced retaliatory tariffs on the US. Mr Trump had been scheduled to speak to Mr Xi on Tuesday, just hours after the US president imposed fresh tariffs on the world’s second largest economy. China retaliated within minutes, imposing levies on US imports and putting several companies, including Google, on notice for possible sanctions.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he is in no hurry to speak to Chinese President Xi Jinping to try to defuse a new trade war between the world's two largest economies sparked by his sweeping 10% tariffs on all Chinese imports. China imposed targeted tariffs on U.S. imports on Tuesday and put several companies, including Google, on notice for possible sanctions, in a measured response to Trump's tariffs. "That's fine," Trump said at the White House when asked about China's retaliatory duties. A conversation between Xi and Trump is seen as key to a potential easing or delay of tariffs, as conversations with Mexican and Canadian leaders did on Monday.

China has called for fresh talks with the US after a call between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping was cancelled and the trade war between the world’s largest economies began to show its first effects. Beijing expressed its “resolute opposition” to US tariffs on its exports and called for “dialogue” to resolve trade differences. Mr Trump and Xi cancelled a scheduled phone call on Tuesday after China announced retaliatory tariffs on the US. The US president said he was in “no rush” to hold talks. China’s foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian expressed Beijing’s “strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition” to the US tariffs. Instead, Mr Lin said China wants “fair and mutually respectful dialogue and consultations”.