Donald Trump hails ‘total reset’ in US-China ties after tariff talks in Switzerland

US President Donald Trump on Sunday hailed what he described as a “total reset” in US-China relations following high-level tariff discussions in Switzerland.Posting on his platform Truth Social, Trump said the talks were “friendly, but constructive,” and emphasised that the aim was to reopen China to American businesses. “Great progress made!” he wrote, signalling optimism about a potential thaw between the two economic powers.

Trump’s comments came as US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng are leading two-day negotiations in Geneva following the tariff hikes imposed by both sides.The negotiations, focused on tariffs that threaten to disrupt global trade, lasted over 10 hours on Saturday and were expected to resume on Sunday, according to a US official, as reported by the Associated Press.

These renewed discussions follow Trump’s recent move to raise tariffs on Chinese imports to 145%, prompting Beijing to respond with a 125% levy on American goods.

Meanwhile, Trump continued to present tariffs as a strategic economic tool. On Friday, he hinted at a possible easing, writing on Truth Social: “80% Tariff on China seems right! Up to Scott.?”

Despite this, he has remained committed to using tariffs as leverage, citing concerns over fentanyl inflows and long-standing disputes regarding China’s alleged intellectual property theft and unfair trade practices.