Are the trade negotiations really happening? Trump insists that they are "ongoing," while Beijing firmly denies it.

The US-China trade war has once again stirred waves. Former US President Trump recently stated that both sides are engaged in trade negotiations, but the Chinese government immediately refuted this, emphasizing that "there are currently no economic or trade negotiations at all." This diplomatic conundrum of "who is actually telling the truth" has drawn high attention from all sectors.

Trump: We just had a meeting this morning!

U.S. President Trump stated to the media on Thursday that trade talks with China are still ongoing. He cautiously said, "They had a meeting this morning... It doesn't matter who 'they' are, maybe we will announce it later, but we are indeed having meetings with China."

This statement seems to attempt to convey that the US and China are negotiating in secret, but it has also raised doubts from the outside. If there really is a meeting, why are the two sides so inconsistent in their statements?

China is firm: no negotiations and will not accept unilateral pressure.

In response to Trump's statements, Chinese Ministry of Commerce spokesperson He Yadong clearly denied on that day. He stated: "There are currently no negotiations between China and the United States in terms of economy and trade." He added: "All claims regarding the progress of negotiations should be regarded as false."

In addition, He Yadong emphasized that China's fundamental position is: If the United States truly wants to solve the problem, it must "lift all unilateral sanctions."

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiaqun reiterated this position on Thursday afternoon, stating that China is willing to engage in dialogue, but on the condition that "China should be treated equally."

Both sides impose tariffs on each other, reigniting the trade war.

Earlier this week, Trump and newly appointed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent both signaled a willingness to reconcile with China. However, in reality, the White House has recently imposed tariffs of up to 145% on Chinese goods. In response, Beijing not only implemented retaliatory tariffs but also strengthened export restrictions on rare earths and key minerals, further escalating the bilateral tensions.

China has also warned any country that may "sacrifice Chinese interests" to cooperate with the United States, emphasizing that it may take retaliatory measures.

Economists observe: China's strategy is undergoing a transformation.

Yue Su, the Chief Economist for the China region at The Economist Intelligence Unit, pointed out that China's current negotiation strategy has undergone a shift. "In the past, China was more concerned about the other party's needs, but now they are more focused on what they want." She believes this reflects China's distrust of the Trump administration's inconsistent policies and ambiguous positions.

Su Yue also added: "This is a moment when China will adopt a 'whatever the cost' attitude. If the U.S. continues to escalate pressure, it cannot be ruled out that China will become even tougher."

The impact on businesses and markets is beginning to emerge.

In this dual offensive of words and tariffs, several major banks on Wall Street have lowered their GDP growth forecasts for China this year. The Ministry of Commerce of China has also stated that it is working to help companies shift their originally planned exports to the domestic market to alleviate pressure.

Jianwei Xu, a senior economist from Natixis in the Greater China region, pointed out that in order for China to return to the negotiating table, the United States may need to reduce tariffs to the original level of 20% or even lower.

But for Trump, such a concession may raise questions from the outside: "If we end up back at square one, what was the point of this trade war?"

The landscape of geopolitical economy is quietly changing.

Although the United States remains China's largest single-country trading partner, in regional terms, Southeast Asia has surpassed the European Union in recent years to become China's largest regional trading partner. This trend indicates that China is actively seeking to diversify its export markets to reduce its dependence on the U.S.

This article on trade negotiations, is it really happening? Trump insists that "it is ongoing," while Beijing firmly denies it. First appeared in Chain News ABMedia.