Trump says he will not reduce tariffs on China in order to have negotiations

US President Donald Trump said “no” when asked if he would reduce his 145% tariffs on Chinese goods as a condition for negotiations.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer are set to meet their Chinese counterparts this weekend in Switzerland.

China has made the de-escalation of the tariffs a requirement for trade negotiations, which the meetings are supposed to help establish.

Mr Trump’s comments suggest the world’s two largest economies could be at an impasse.

China has also said that the US requested the meeting in Switzerland, something that Mr Trump disputed.

“Well, I think they ought to go back and study their files,” the president said.

Mr Trump was speaking after David Perdue was sworn in as US ambassador to China on Wednesday.