Trump Turns Up Trade Pressure on China After Beijing Stays Silent

President Trump is ramping up his trade offensive against China after Beijing failed to respond to his demands with the same urgency shown by Canada and Mexico earlier this year. Back in January, Trump rattled nations with threats of tariffs, demanding stronger measures to combat the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States.

Canada and Mexico took the hint and scrambled to show progress. Canada appointed a so-called "fentanyl czar" and poured resources into cracking down on organized crime. Mexico, not to be outdone, sent troops to the border and handed over cartel operatives to U.S. authorities. Their efforts bought them a 30-day reprieve from tariffs.

China, however, chose a different approach: no flashy overtures, no grand gestures. That didn’t sit well with Trump, who accused Beijing of failing to curb fentanyl shipments to the U.S. On February 4, Trump responded by slapping a 10 percent tariff on all Chinese imports. Not stopping there, he announced last week that an additional 10 percent tariff would kick in on March 4, escalating the tension even further.

The U.S.-China trade relationship is now on a knife’s edge, with Trump moving swiftly to shake things up while China takes a more cautious, calculated stance. Chinese leaders, including President Xi Jinping, have yet to engage directly with Trump. Instead, officials and experts close to the Chinese government are analyzing Trump’s moves, wary of making concessions before understanding his ultimate goals.

Michael Pillsbury, a China expert advising the Trump administration, noted the Chinese tendency to tread carefully in early negotiations. "With my experience with the Chinese, they are suspicious in the initial rounds of a negotiation that there are hidden traps or other reasons to be cautious," he said.

While some of Trump’s advisers, like Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have been in touch with their Chinese counterparts, the lack of direct dialogue between Trump and Xi is telling. Beijing appears determined to avoid looking desperate or making premature concessions, leaving the trade impasse unresolved for now.