US President Donald Trump has admitted that it is extremely difficult to reach a trade deal with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Reuters reports, News.bg reports.
In a post on his own social network Truth Social, Trump stressed that although he likes Xi, the latter is “very tough“, which makes reaching an agreement extremely difficult.
Earlier this month, US Treasury Secretary Scott Besant also said that negotiations between the two countries were at a standstill and hinted that direct intervention at the leadership level may be necessary for progress.
Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi accused the Trump administration of taking “unfounded“ measures that undermine China's legitimate interests. He called on the United States to work with Beijing to restore bilateral relations and return them to the "right track."
The tension is rooted in an agreement reached on May 12 in Switzerland that provided for a 90-day freeze on most tariffs and the removal of trade countermeasures. However, both sides have accused each other of violating it.
Washington has been frustrated by the lack of significant steps by China to ease restrictions on the export of rare earth elements. Beijing has also sharply criticized U.S. efforts to restrict China's access to advanced technology. Last week, the Trump administration took a further step by starting to cancel visas for Chinese students.