Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun
On Question of "Partial Withdrawal of 125% Tariff on U.S. Goods": "I Am Not Aware of the Situation"
While the United States maintains that trade negotiations with China are ongoing, China continues to deny this for the second consecutive day.
On April 25, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated at a regular press briefing, "Yesterday, my colleagues from the Ministry of Commerce and I already gave a clear answer to this issue," adding, "China and the United States have never engaged in negotiations or talks regarding tariffs. The United States should not attempt to mislead public opinion."
Previously, on April 23 (U.S. Eastern Time), President Trump said that negotiations with China were taking place daily. However, the Chinese Foreign Ministry immediately denied this at a briefing on April 24.
On April 24, during a luncheon at the White House with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, President Trump again told reporters, "They had a meeting this morning," indicating that the U.S. and China had met. However, at the same day's briefing, spokesperson Guo once again denied that any U.S.-China tariff negotiations had taken place.
When asked whether Chinese Finance Minister Lan Poan and People's Bank of China Governor Pan Gongseng, who are visiting the United States to attend the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting in Washington, DC, would meet with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Besant, Guo, like the Chinese Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Commerce, did not provide a specific answer.
Regarding reports by Chinese and foreign media that, while the United States has signaled a reduction in tariffs on China, China has either withdrawn or is considering withdrawing an additional 125% tariff on certain U.S. imports, Guo responded, "I am not aware of the specific situation. Please consult the relevant authorities," avoiding a direct answer.
During the briefing, 9 out of 14 questions focused on issues related to the United States. In response to President Trump's remark that "fentanyl (a synthetic drug that has served as a pretext for U.S. tariff hikes) continues to flow from China through Mexico and Canada into our country, killing hundreds of thousands of Americans," Guo dismissed the claim, stating, "Fentanyl is an American problem, not a Chinese one, and the responsibility lies with the United States itself."
Guo also criticized President Trump's signing of an executive order encouraging the development of minerals buried deep in the ocean as a means of independently securing key minerals dominated by China, calling it "a unilateral act that disregards international law and order, and reflects hegemonic tendencies." He also objected to the U.S. State Department's arms control report released on April 16, which raised concerns about China's biological weapons threat.
However, when asked about President Trump's criticism of China's cancellation of Boeing aircraft purchases, Guo declined to give a direct answer, saying, "Please consult the relevant authorities for specific issues."
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