US President Donald Trump is speaking during a white press conference in Washington DC, on August 11, 2025. Photo: AA / Abaca / Abaca Press / Profimedia
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to extend the tariff armistice with China for another 90 days, a white house official said on Monday, just hours before American taxes on Chinese products return to three -digit levels, writes Reuters.
The order was issued after Trump gave an evasive response to reporters on the extension of low rates, one day after the US leader asked Beijing to increase his US -Soy purchases.
The tariff armistice between Beijing and Washington was to expire on Tuesday at 04:01 GMT. The order prevents up to 145% increase in American tariffs for Chinese products, as well as Chinese customs duties for US products up to 125%, levels that would have led to a de facto commercial embargo.
“We will see what will happen,” Trump said in a press conference, when he was asked how he intends to extend the deadline. “They have collaborated quite well. The relationship between me and President XI (Jinping) is very good,” said the American president.
Just a few hours before the armistice in the commercial war with China expires, Trump keeps the mystery about the future move: “We will see”
China imports are currently subjected to 30% rates, including a 10% basic rate and 20% of the fentanyl rates imposed by Washington in February and March. China responded to this decision, reducing the rate applied to US imports to 10%.
In May, the two parties announced a armistice in the commercial dispute, after the Negotiations in Geneva, Switzerland, agreeing on a 90 -day period for continuing the discussions. They met again in Stockholm, Sweden, at the end of July, but did not announce an agreement on the extension of the term.
Kelly Ann Shaw, a high trade officer in the White House during Trump's first term and currently employed at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, said Trump is expected to extend Monday 90 days, 90 days.
“It would not be a Trump style negotiation if it was not until the last moment,” she said, adding that the White House leader could also announce progress in other aspects of economic relations, as a background for the extension.
“The reason why the 90 -day break was initially decided was to lay the foundations for wider negotiations, and on the weekend there were many discussions about all kinds of topics, from soy control and surplus capacity,” she said.
Ryan Majerus, a former American commercial official, now an employee of the King & Spalding law firm, greeted the news.
“This will undoubtedly reduce anxiety on both sides as the negotiations continue and the US and China work on a framework agreement in the fall. I am sure that investment commitments will be considered in any potential agreement, and the extension offers them more time to try to solve some of the long-term commercial problems,” he said.
The White House refused to provide other details, apart from Trump's statements. The Treasury Department and the US Commercial Representative Office did not respond to the requests to send points of view.
The Secretary of the US Treasury, Scott Bessent, said Washington has the premises of an agreement with China and that he is “optimistic” on the way to follow.
Trump insisted on Sunday for additional concessions, urging China to increase her soy acquisitions four times, although analysts have questioned the feasibility of such an agreement. Trump did not resume this request on Monday.
But Washington has also pressed Beijing to stop his Russian oil purchases, Trump threatening with imposing secondary rates on China.
