WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has reignited trade tensions with China, accusing Beijing of breaching a hard-won agreement to ease tariffs, potentially unraveling a fragile truce between the world’s two largest economies, reported by Agency France Press.
“China, perhaps not surprisingly to some, HAS TOTALLY VIOLATED ITS AGREEMENT WITH US,” Trump wrote Friday on his Truth Social platform, offering no specifics but reigniting fears of a renewed trade war.
His remarks came just hours after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent admitted that talks with China had grown “a bit stalled,” telling Fox News that progress had slowed despite earlier signs of cooperation. The two sides had agreed earlier this month, after talks in Geneva, to a 90-day pause on spiraling tariffs that had brought cross-Pacific commerce to a near standstill.
Under that truce, Washington cut tariffs on Chinese goods from 145% to 30%, while Beijing eased its retaliatory duties from 125% to 10%. But tensions remain high. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer blamed China for continuing to “choke off” access to critical minerals, while warning of an “enormous” trade deficit that shows little sign of narrowing.
Complicating matters further is a 20% levy recently added by the Trump administration on Chinese imports, citing Beijing’s alleged role in fueling the illicit drug trade—an accusation China strongly denies.
Meanwhile, Trump’s tariff crusade is facing resistance at home. A federal trade court ruled this week that he exceeded his authority in imposing sweeping tariffs under emergency economic powers. Although the ruling has been paused pending appeal, it blocks the most expansive duties while leaving others—like those on steel and autos—intact.
With legal battles looming and diplomacy faltering, the path forward remains uncertain. But one thing is clear: the uneasy calm between Washington and Beijing may be slipping once more into storm.
