The Trump-China Trade Tango: What’s Really Going On?

Setting the Scene

So here’s the scoop: Trump’s got big plans, folks. Talking up a “fantastic deal” with China, he wants to hit rewind on the tariffs saga right back to April Fool’s Day. But guess what? Sean Stein, the US-China Business Council head honcho, calls it out. At the Bund Summit in Shanghai, Stein laid it bare: “This 90-day tariff pause? It’s getting an extension, no question about it.”

What’s On Trump’s Wish List?

Stein throws light on Trump’s agenda—it’s all about three things: dealing with fentanyl, restarting soybean buys, and getting cozy over rare earths.

Now, here’s the kicker: all this effort just to undo the mess of Trump’s trade war. Stein doesn’t mince words: A “fantastic deal” to Trump means just hitting the reset button to those pre-Liberation Day tariffs.

The Negotiation Game

China and the US are in full negotiation mode. Picture Kuala Lumpur bustling as Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng chats with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Round five of trade talks just went down there. Rumor has it, the talks have paved the way for a big meeting between Trump and Xi Jinping. The US is even talking South Korea for a meet-up on Thursday. China? They’re keeping it under wraps for now.

Making Headway

Post-Kuala Lumpur, Beijing spoke out. The duo’s reached some sort of preliminary consensus. Down to brass tacks, they’re dealing with export controls, stretching the tariff truce, and tackling issues like port fees, ag trade, and fentanyl tariffs. Quite the list, right?

A Quick Glance at the Talks

What’s Next?

The clock’s ticking toward that potential Trump-Xi meet. The vibe is cautiously optimistic—a real New York attitude, no doubt. We’ll see if this resets the clock or just hits pause on the drama. The stakes? Through the roof. Stay tuned, folks!