United States President Donald Trump has signed an order extending a trade truce with China, postponing the scheduled reimposition of higher tariffs on Chinese goods by 90 days. The move came on Monday, just hours before the existing ceasefire on increased levies was due to expire.
Reports from senior administration officials, as cited by US outlets including the Wall Street Journal and CNBC, confirmed that the decision halts steeper tariffs until early November. The White House has not formally released the full text of the order or commented publicly.
In May, both Washington and Beijing agreed to temporarily reduce tariffs after months of escalating duties on each other’s products. Those measures had soared to triple-digit rates, severely affecting trade flows. The temporary 90-day pause, however, was set to end Tuesday.
Addressing reporters earlier on Monday, Trump expressed cautious optimism about ongoing relations with Chinese President Xi Jinping. “We’ll see what happens. They’ve been dealing quite nicely. The relationship is very good with President Xi and me,” Trump said. He also highlighted the tariff revenue collected by the US since his return to office in January. “We’ve been dealing very nicely with China,” he added.
China’s foreign ministry responded with a call for cooperation. Spokesman Lin Jian said, “We hope that the US will work with China to follow the important consensus reached during the phone call between the two heads of state,” stressing the need to “strive for positive outcomes on the basis of equality, respect and mutual benefit.”
Despite agreements reached in high-level meetings — including in Geneva in May and later in London and Stockholm — the truce has faced challenges. US officials have accused their Chinese counterparts of breaching certain commitments, while trade envoy Jamieson Greer previously noted that Trump would have the “final call” on any extension.
Trump’s order means US tariffs on Chinese goods remain at 30 per cent, while China’s corresponding tariffs on American products stand at 10 per cent. Since January, the US has also imposed a 10 per cent “reciprocal” tariff on nearly all trading partners, with certain economies facing much higher rates. The measures exclude some sectors, such as gold, after Trump confirmed Monday that gold imports will not face additional tariffs.
Trump has also targeted other nations over issues unrelated to China — including Brazil, over the trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro, and India, over its purchase of Russian oil. Canada and Mexico operate under separate tariff arrangements.
okay.ng reports that the extension gives negotiators more time to bridge economic differences ahead of the new November deadline. However, with both countries still holding firm to their positions, analysts say the next three months could be decisive in determining whether tensions ease or a fresh tariff war erupts.
