U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday (April 22) said he "won't play hardball" with China on trade, and that U.S. tariffs on China will be "nowhere near" the 145% his administration had previously discussed, Reuters reports.
Trump expressed optimism that he would make progress with China that would substantially lower tariffs on their imports but also warned that "if they don't make a deal, we'll set the deal."
Trump said a deal would result in "substantially" lower tariffs on Chinese goods.
"It won't be that high," Trump said when asked about the current rates. "It won't be anywhere near that."
He added that "it won't be zero."
The comments from Trump, at an afternoon swearing in ceremony for the new SEC chairman, Paul Atkins.
