Trump is waiting for Xi to call. The Chinese see it differently

edition.cnn.com /2025/04/10/politics/trump-xi-china-tariffs/index.html

In private discussions hours before China announced new retaliatory tariffs, the Trump administration warned Chinese officials against such a move, according to a source familiar with the discussions.

The Chinese were also told – once again – that Chinese President Xi Jinping should request a call with US President Donald Trump.

Instead, US officials woke up to news of increased Chinese tariffs and no request for a leader level call. Xi also made comments that only dug him in further.

"For over 70 years, China's development has relied on self-reliance and hard work — never on handouts from others, and it is not afraid of any unjust suppression," Xi said according to state broadcaster CCTV during his meeting with the Spanish prime minister.

53 comments

Honestly, though...what is there to talk about? Trump's rationale for doing all this makes no logical sense. What good is it to negotiate with an idiot that doesn't even understand basic economics?
Just slap more tariffs on him and wait for him to either grow the fuck up, or back the fuck down. Either way, a "conversation" is not required.
- The call is supposed to be Xi making a deal, even a worse deal than existed before. Trump just wants to come out ahead in optics
  China is not playing with that so here we are. Trump will have a temper tantrum and things will cost more.
- Probably want Xi to call and pretend to beg for tariff cuts so Trump can get an easy exit route without looking bad.