China has issued one of its clearest demands yet in the ongoing trade standoff with the United States, calling for a complete rollback of all U.S. tariffs as a precondition for renewed negotiations, according to reporting by the Financial Times. The move marks a sharp escalation in rhetoric and reflects deepening frustration in Beijing over what it sees as Washington’s lack of sincerity in resolving the dispute.
“There are currently no economic and trade negotiations between China and the United States,” a Chinese commerce ministry spokesperson, He Yadong, said on Thursday. “If the U.S. truly wants to solve the problem, it should completely cancel all unilateral tariff measures against China and find a way to resolve differences through equal dialogue.”
Despite recent comments from U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that the trade war is “not sustainable” and would require “de-escalation by both sides,” Beijing has made clear that Washington must take the first step. China’s position appears to have hardened, with the commerce ministry stating that the U.S. must “show sincerity” and abandon tactics of “pressuring, threatening, and extorting.”
The comments come as former U.S. President Donald Trump—under whose administration the trade conflict escalated—recently imposed additional tariffs of up to 145% on Chinese goods. In response, Beijing levied its own 125% tariffs on American imports, in what Bessent described as tantamount to an “embargo.”
While Trump has since begun rolling back some measures—granting exemptions for smartphones, semiconductors, and select electronics—Chinese officials have dismissed claims of progress. The foreign ministry labeled reports of a near-term agreement as “fake news,” and emphasized that “there have been no consultations or negotiations” on the issue.
In one of the most pointed statements, He Yadong invoked a Chinese proverb: “He who tied the bell on the tiger should be the one to untie it,” implying the U.S., having initiated the tariffs, must now undo them.
Beijing has reiterated that its “door is open” to dialogue, but the demand for full tariff removal before talks even begin is seen as a significant shift—and a message that China will not enter negotiations under duress.
Analysts quoted by the Financial Times note that the political and economic stakes are high for both sides, but particularly for Chinese President Xi Jinping, who would be reluctant to engage directly with U.S. leadership without a detailed framework already in place. “It’s difficult to see how Xi could sit down with Trump unless there’s a clear path to resolution,” one observer noted.
