Yet US President Donald Trump’s willingness to retreat so much from the earlier 145% duty on China surprised governments from Seoul to Brussels that have so far stuck with the US’s request to negotiate rather than retaliate against its tariffs.
China’s defiant stance in negotiating a tariff truce with the US has convinced some countries they need to take a tougher position in their own trade talks with the Trump administration.
The pause reached a week ago gave structure to what promise to be prolonged and difficult rounds of talks between Washington and Beijing, which still faces average US import taxes near 50% when past levies are factored into the 30% rate agreed to in Geneva, Switzerland.
