Trump: “We’re Not Losing Anything by Not Trading with China”
U.S. President Donald Trump made statements regarding trade negotiations with China, saying, “China wants to negotiate with us, but we are waiting for the right time.” Speaking during a meeting at the White House with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Trump noted that while China wants to engage in talks, such a meeting has not yet taken place.
“We’re not losing anything by not trading with China,” said Trump, emphasizing that China has significantly benefited from the U.S. and that the suspension of trade is currently hurting the Chinese economy.
“We’re Not Interested in Their Market”
Trump stressed that the U.S. does not need to sign trade deals with other countries, stating, “They are the ones who need to make deals with us. They want access to our market. We don’t want access to theirs; we don’t care about their market.” With these remarks, Trump highlighted the advantage the U.S. holds due to its strong consumer market.
Recalling that the U.S. was running multibillion-dollar trade deficits daily when he took office, Trump claimed they had reversed this situation. He mentioned that following the imposition of tariffs on the automotive, aluminum, and steel sectors, many companies had returned to the U.S. with trillions of dollars in investment.
“We Could Sign 25 Trade Deals Right Now, But We Don’t Have To”
When asked, “When will you sign a trade deal?” Trump replied, “If we wanted to, we could sign 25 trade deals right now. But we’re not obligated to sign anything. Even under current conditions, everyone wants to make a deal with us because our market is attractive.”
Trump added that, together with Vice President JD Vance, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, they would be evaluating trade deal matters over the next two weeks. He stated that they would proceed with fair, low, and enforceable figures.
“We Want to Be Friends with Countries, Not Cause Harm”
Trump emphasized that their trade strategy is not harsh but flexible: “We’re not chaotic, but we’re adaptable. The numbers we set will be fair. We don’t want to harm countries; we want to help. We want to build friendly relations,” he said.
Trump’s remarks underscore the U.S.’s strong bargaining position in trade, signaling that while negotiations with China will continue, they will not be made under pressure. The global trade order continues to evolve under the firm direction of Trump’s trade policies.
