'Have Cards That Can Destroy China': Trump Warns Beijing Amid Ongoing Trade Dispute

Last Updated:August 26, 2025, 09:02 IST

Trump's comments followed the August 12 agreement between Washington and Beijing to extend their trade truce for another 90 days, giving negotiators more time to reach a settlement

US President Donald Trump (Reuters Image)

Amid ongoing trade disputes with China, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed that Washington holds “incredible cards" that could “destroy" Beijing if he chose to use it.

Speaking at the Oval Office ahead of a meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, Trump told reporters that the United States was in a stronger position than China in their trade standoff.

“We are going to have a great relationship with China…They have some cards. We have incredible cards, but I don’t want to play those cards. If I play those cards, that would destroy China. I am not going to play those cards," Trump said.

The US president also said he had recently spoken with Chinese President Xi Jinping and might travel to Beijing later this year or soon after.

“At some point, probably during this year or shortly thereafter, we’ll go to China," he said, noting Xi’s invitation.

His comments followed the August 12 agreement between Washington and Beijing to extend their trade truce for another 90 days, giving negotiators more time to reach a settlement.

The tariff conflict has escalated over the past year, with the US raising duties on Chinese imports multiple times.

At one point, rates climbed as high as 145 per cent in April, while most Chinese goods currently face a 30 per cent levy.

China retaliated with a 10 per cent tariff on US imports.

Tensions have also risen over Beijing’s rare earths policy, with Trump warning that unless China supplied magnets to the US, Washington could impose a “200 per cent tariff or something."

Beijing tightened restrictions on rare earth exports earlier this year as part of its response to US pressure.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also pointed to China’s oil purchases from sanctioned countries as another unresolved issue.

During talks in Sweden, he highlighted Beijing’s imports of Iranian and Russian oil as a major obstacle in negotiations.

Location :

United States of America (USA)

First Published:

August 26, 2025, 09:02 IST

News world 'Have Cards That Can Destroy China': Trump Warns Beijing Amid Ongoing Trade Dispute

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