U.S. President Donald Trump is set to visit China from March 31 to April 2 for a closely watched summit between the leaders of the world’s two largest economies, a trip announced just as the Supreme Court struck down his broad tariffs on imported goods.
A White House official confirmed the trip on Friday, just before the highest U.S. court dealt Trump a stinging defeat by striking down many of the tariffs he has used in a global trade war, including some against rival China.
Trump’s talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on an extended visit to Beijing had been expected to revolve around extending a trade truce that kept both countries from further hiking tariffs.
Ruling Raises Questions For U.S.-China Relations
But the Supreme Court’s reversal created new questions for the tense U.S.-China relations that had recently stabilized after Trump trimmed tariffs on Chinese goods, in exchange for measures from Beijing, including cracking down on the illicit fentanyl trade and pausing export restrictions on critical minerals.
20% tariffs on China’s U.S.-bound exports were imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA, which the court ruled Trump had overstepped. Those tariffs were tied to national emergencies related to fentanyl distribution and trade imbalances.
Other duties on Chinese goods, including those implemented under legislated trade authorities known as Section 301 and Section 232, remain in place.
It was not immediately clear how many of the tariffs Trump would restore, but he told a press conference that he would impose a new 10% global tariff for 150 days.
Trump’s last trip to China, in 2017, was the most recent by a U.S. president.
Trump Sees Trade Imbalance As National Emergency
The Trump administration argued its global tariffs were justified by national emergencies linked to trade imbalances that weakened U.S. manufacturing. Critics say Trump’s defeat in court “cements his weakness” and could undermine U.S. leverage in trade talks.
Chinese officials reportedly prefer a stable relationship where the U.S. appears diminished. Trump’s upcoming visit to China from March 31 to April 2 will be the first in-person talks with President Xi Jinping since a trade truce in South Korea last October. Issues likely to arise include trade tensions, U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, and potential soybean purchases, though China may be less inclined toward new deals after the tariff ruling.
(With inputs from Reuters)
