Tensions between the United States and China have reignited after President Donald Trump accused Beijing of violating a recent agreement to ease trade tariffs. The claim comes just two weeks after both countries agreed in Geneva to temporarily reduce tit-for-tat tariffs, a move that was seen as a positive step toward stabilizing economic relations between the world’s two largest economies.
On Friday, Trump took to Truth Social to declare that China had “totally violated its agreement with us,” although he did not provide specifics. However, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer later clarified that China had failed to remove non-tariff barriers, including certain export restrictions and blacklists on U.S. companies, as outlined in the deal.
“China removed the tariffs like we did, but some of their countermeasures have not been fully rolled back,” said Greer in an interview with CNBC. He noted that Beijing had restricted exports of critical materials like rare earth magnets and had slowed progress on lifting other trade barriers. “The United States did exactly what it was supposed to do, and the Chinese are slow-rolling their compliance,” Greer added.
In response, China did not directly address the U.S. claims but urged Washington to “cease discriminatory restrictions against China.” A spokesperson from the Chinese Embassy in Washington emphasized that the U.S. must correct what it described as “erroneous actions,” especially in the semiconductor sector. Beijing also criticized recent U.S. decisions to pause technology exports to China and to revoke student visas.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent acknowledged on Thursday that the talks had “become a bit stalled,” but expressed hope that direct communication between President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping could revive negotiations.
The renewed friction casts doubt on the durability of the tariff truce agreed in Geneva. With geopolitical and economic stakes high, both nations face mounting pressure to find common ground. Still, with Trump’s rhetoric escalating and Beijing pushing back, the road to a lasting resolution appears increasingly uncertain.
