Since he returned to the presidency of the United States, Trump has Customs Tax Tax that have tensioned relations with their business partners and have unleashed a wave of negotiations.
Steel and aluminum were the first affected sectors, with a 25% surcharge since March 12, which rose to 50% This June 4.
The White House insists that Trump and XI “probably” will talk on the phone this weekwhich increased the hopes that they can relieve tensions between the two greatest economies in the world.
But early on Wednesday, June 4, a Trump message seemed to cool those expectations.
“I am like President XI of ChinaI always liked it and it will always be like that, but it is very hard, and extremely difficult to make a deal with him! ”, He published on his social truth platform.
When asked about those statements in a press conference, the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, Lin Jian, said that “the principles and the Posture of the Chinese part about the development of Chinese-American relations are consistent”
China was the main target of the tariff offensive launched in April by Trump, which hit the Asian giant with tariffs up to 145% On his goods, to which Beijing responded with 125% taxes to American products.
Both parties agreed temporary decala In May, after Trump suspended until July the majority of the levies on the other countries.
He American president accused China Last week not to respect the terms of that decala.
EU optimistic
The entry into force of the increase in tariffs on metals coincided with a meeting in Paris between the commercial representative of the White House (USTR), Jamieson Greer, and the European Commission of Commerce, Maros Sefcovic, regardless of a session of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
Sefcovic said after gathering with Greer that increasing steel and aluminum tariffs “It does not help negotiations.”
However, the two parties They were “advancing” in their conversations, Sefcovic said at a press conference.
Trump accused the European Union of not negotiating in good faith and threatened the block with a 50% general tariff surcharge If an agreement is not reached. The EU has promised to answer.
“We focus a lot on these negotiations and still believe in them,” said Sefcovic, who said he was optimistic about the possibility of achieving a “positive result.”
The OECD cut its global growth forecast Due to Trump’s taxes: 2.9% instead of 3.1% planned in March.
“Must reach negotiated solutions As soon as possible, because time is exhausted, ”said German Minister of Economy, Katherina Reiche.
French trade minister, Laurent Saint-Martin, said it is necessary to “keep calm and always demonstrate that The introduction of these tariffs does not benefit anyone. ”
Steel rates
Trump imposed in April 10% tariffs to almost all commercial partnerswith the aim of pressing to correct practices that Washington considers unfair.
In a decree that entered into force on Wednesday, Trump justified the increase in 25% to 50% to imports of steel and aluminum.
The increase “will provide a greater support for these industries and will reduce or eliminate the threat to national security that suppose imports of steel and aluminum items and their derivatives, ”reads the text.
In 2024, the United States imported around half the steel and aluminum it used.
Canada is its main steel supplierfollowed by Brazil and Mexico, whose products are allocated to other industries such as automotive or construction. Argentina is the sixth aluminum supplier.
Mexico already said that he will ask to be excluded from the tariff, that the Secretary of Economy, Marcelo Ebrard, described as “Unjust, unsustainable and inconvenient measure. ”
For its part, the United Kingdom is exempt and its rate is maintained at 25%, to give time to London and Washington complete their negotiations for a commercial agreement, announced in May.