Amid escalating U.S.-China trade tensions, U.S. President Donald Trump has unexpectedly struck a softer tone—marking a sharp contrast with his tough stance last Friday, when he threatened to impose 100% tariffs on Chinese goods.
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote that he “wants to help China, not hurt China,” and emphasized that both countries could “eventually reach a rational understanding.” U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance echoed this sentiment on the same day, urging Beijing to “choose the path of reason,” adding that Washington remains ready to act as a “rational negotiator.”
Analysts believe Trump’s shift in tone may be linked to pressure from financial markets. U.S. stocks tumbled last Friday, with the S&P 500 falling 2.7%—its steepest single-day drop in six months—as concerns about a new round of tariff wars grew.
Trump had previously threatened to impose an additional 100% tariff on all Chinese imports starting November 1, while also planning to restrict exports of key software technologies—a move that rattled markets. He even questioned whether his scheduled meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea would still go ahead.
Beijing responded forcefully, denouncing Washington’s remarks as a “classic double standard” and warning that “threatening others with high tariffs” was not the right way to conduct relations. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce accused the U.S. of abusing the concept of “national security” by imposing discriminatory restrictions on chips and semiconductors, thereby undermining global supply chain stability. The ministry vowed that if the U.S. “insists on going its own way,” China would take “firm countermeasures.”
In recent months, the main flashpoints between China and the U.S. have centered on rare earth exports and technology industries. China controls the majority of global rare earth mining and processing—materials critical for smartphones, electric vehicles, and military equipment. Beijing has recently tightened export regulations on rare earths, launched an antitrust investigation into U.S. chipmaker Qualcomm, and imposed new port fees on U.S.-linked vessels—moves widely seen as retaliatory measures against Washington’s high-tariff policies.