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Trump says China agreed to reduce tariffs on US car imports | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Beijing will "reduce and remove" tariffs on US car imports into China, US President Donald Trump said. | |
President Trump made the comments on Twitter without providing more details. The tariffs are currently set at 40%. | |
The move comes after the US and China reached a temporary truce in their trade war. | |
President Trump and Xi Jinping agreed at the G20 summit to halt new trade tariffs for 90 days to allow for talks. | |
The US and China have been embroiled in a trade war this year which has seen the US hit China with tariffs on $250bn (£195.9bn) worth of goods since July, and China retaliate with duties on some $110bn of US goods over the same period. | The US and China have been embroiled in a trade war this year which has seen the US hit China with tariffs on $250bn (£195.9bn) worth of goods since July, and China retaliate with duties on some $110bn of US goods over the same period. |
As part of this, the US imposed a 25% tariff on Chinese cars, on top of the 2.5% already in place. | |
China imposed a 40% tariff on US vehicle imports - much higher than the 15% it places on other trading partners. | |
The US says its tariff policy is a response to China's "unfair" trade practices and accuses it of intellectual property theft. | |
Failure to strike a deal at the G20 summit would have seen tariffs on $200bn worth of Chinese goods rise from 10% to 25% at the start of next year, and would have opened the way for tariffs on additional Chinese goods. | |
Relief over the agreement at the G20 pushed Asian markets higher on Monday. In China, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index jumped 2.6% and the Shanghai Composite index rallied 2.9%. Japan's Nikkei 225 index rose 1%. | |
"Many people suspected that there may be a more disastrous outcome, this is definitely a relief," Masamichi Adachi, senior economist at JP Morgan in Japan, said. | |
What was agreed at the G20? | |
In a statement, the White House said US tariffs on Chinese goods will remain unchanged for 90 days, but added: "If at the end of this period of time, the parties are unable to reach an agreement, the 10 percent tariffs will be raised to 25 percent." | In a statement, the White House said US tariffs on Chinese goods will remain unchanged for 90 days, but added: "If at the end of this period of time, the parties are unable to reach an agreement, the 10 percent tariffs will be raised to 25 percent." |
The US said China agreed to "purchase a not yet agreed upon, but very substantial, amount of agricultural, energy, industrial, and other products from the United States to reduce the trade imbalance between our two countries". | The US said China agreed to "purchase a not yet agreed upon, but very substantial, amount of agricultural, energy, industrial, and other products from the United States to reduce the trade imbalance between our two countries". |
Both sides also pledged to "immediately begin negotiations on structural changes with respect to forced technology transfer, intellectual property protection, non-tariff barriers, cyber intrusions and cyber theft", according to the White House. | Both sides also pledged to "immediately begin negotiations on structural changes with respect to forced technology transfer, intellectual property protection, non-tariff barriers, cyber intrusions and cyber theft", according to the White House. |
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters after the talks that "the principal agreement has effectively prevented further expansion of economic friction between the two countries". | Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters after the talks that "the principal agreement has effectively prevented further expansion of economic friction between the two countries". |
He hailed "new space for win-win co-operation", while Chinese state TV said negotiations would continue. | He hailed "new space for win-win co-operation", while Chinese state TV said negotiations would continue. |
Are tariffs still in place? | Are tariffs still in place? |
Yes. The truce prevents raising tariffs as planned on $200bn worth of Chinese goods. | Yes. The truce prevents raising tariffs as planned on $200bn worth of Chinese goods. |
But it does not remove tariffs that apply to a total of $250bn of Chinese goods targeted since July. | But it does not remove tariffs that apply to a total of $250bn of Chinese goods targeted since July. |
The truce also does not affect the existing duties China has imposed on $110bn of US goods in a tit for tat retaliation. | The truce also does not affect the existing duties China has imposed on $110bn of US goods in a tit for tat retaliation. |
Will this resolve the dispute? | Will this resolve the dispute? |
While the result of the G20 meeting was better than expected, it is unclear how the two countries will manage to resolve the underlying differences behind the conflict. | While the result of the G20 meeting was better than expected, it is unclear how the two countries will manage to resolve the underlying differences behind the conflict. |
"There should be no wishful thinking that the truce would end the trade war between the world's two largest economies," DBS strategist Philip Wee wrote in a research note. | "There should be no wishful thinking that the truce would end the trade war between the world's two largest economies," DBS strategist Philip Wee wrote in a research note. |
He said it "remains to be seen if real progress could be achieved during this narrow window to resolve the contentious issues, not just on trade, but also intellectual property." | He said it "remains to be seen if real progress could be achieved during this narrow window to resolve the contentious issues, not just on trade, but also intellectual property." |
Louis Kuijs, head of Asia economics at Oxford Economics, said while the agreement itself was "positive" the next steps remained unclear. | Louis Kuijs, head of Asia economics at Oxford Economics, said while the agreement itself was "positive" the next steps remained unclear. |
"Whether we will see further de-escalation or whether it is temporary reprieve continues to be very much up to a political decision in Washington DC - that will continue to make this uncertain," Louis Kuijs, head of Asia economics at Oxford Economics said. | "Whether we will see further de-escalation or whether it is temporary reprieve continues to be very much up to a political decision in Washington DC - that will continue to make this uncertain," Louis Kuijs, head of Asia economics at Oxford Economics said. |