China rejects Trump’s trade deal violation claims

Shafaq News/ China pushed back, on Monday, against accusations from US President Donald Trump that it violated last month’s trade deal, calling the claims “groundless.”

In a statement, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce insisted that Beijing had honored all terms of the May agreement signed in Geneva, blaming the United States for destabilizing trade ties.

“The US government has unilaterally and repeatedly provoked new economic and trade frictions,” the ministry noted, pointing to recent US moves, such as AI chip export restrictions, bans on chip design software, and visa cancellations for Chinese students, as violations of the agreement’s intent.

Beijing warned it would respond with “forceful measures,” without specifying what steps it might take.

The Geneva accord included a 90-day suspension of triple-digit tariffs and a pledge by China to lift certain trade barriers on key metals used in the US technology and defense sectors.

Trump, writing Friday on Truth Social, claimed that China had “TOTALLY VIOLATED” the agreement. He also doubled down on the claim during a rally in Pennsylvania, announcing plans to raise tariffs on imported steel and aluminum from 25% to 50% to protect domestic producers.

The US President offered no evidence to support the allegation of non-compliance.

A federal appeals court has temporarily upheld the tariff hike, following a lower court ruling that deemed the administration’s strategy “unlawful.”

While China remains the world’s top steel producer, its steel exports to the US have been limited since 2018. It currently ranks as the third-largest aluminum supplier to the US market.