Mulvaney’s comments highlight a potential hurdle to a call between the leaders that the White House said is likely this week. Such direct contact could potentially ease tensions that have surged over access to chips and rare earths after earlier talks secured a 90-day reprieve for drastic tariffs.
A potential trade deal between the world’s top two economies hinges on Donald Trump and Xi Jinping overcoming core differences in their negotiation styles, former acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said.
“There’s a fundamental disconnect here,” Mulvaney told Bloomberg TV on Tuesday. “Trump wants to talk at the very highest levels. That’s not always how the Chinese want to do business.”
