
China says it has full confidence in ability to manage US trade issues
Live Events
(You can now subscribe to our
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel
China has full confidence in its ability to manage U.S. trade issues, Vice Foreign Minister Hua Chunying said on Friday, a day before officials from both sides are set to meet in Switzerland to discuss the tariffs they have imposed on each other."We have no fear," Hua told a small group of reporters at a middle school in a rural county in southwestern China, adding that the trade policy of the U.S. administration cannot be sustained.The weekend talks involving top U.S. and Chinese economic and trade officials are widely seen as a first step towards resolving a trade war that has disrupted the global economy . President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the U.S. tariffs on Beijing of 145% would likely come down."We have full confidence," Hua said during a Beijing-organised trip to Malipo county to showcase China's efforts to build up rural economies."We do not want any kind of war with any country. But we have to face up to the reality. As you can see, people have full confidence in our capability to overcome all the difficulties."Trump's tariffs on many of the United States' trading partners, including China, are increasingly weighing on a world economy which for decades had benefited from predictable and relatively free trade.Many economists are calling the Trump tariffs a "demand shock" to the world economy which, by making imports more expensive for American businesses and consumers, will sap activity elsewhere."What the United States is doing cannot be sustained," Hua said. "Ordinary people in the U.S. already feel suffering from the tariff war."The U.S. administration will come back to "normal", she said.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hindustan Times
18 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Karine Jean-Pierre no longer a Democrat? Ex-WH press secy writes tell-all book on ‘broken' Biden administration
Former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has run her race in the Democratic Party after serving former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden. The 50-year-old shared the news in a statement released Wednesday, revealing that she is writing a tell-all book on the 'broken' administration she served. Titled Independent: A Look Inside a Broken White House, Outside the Party Lines, the memoir is set to hit the bookshelves on October 21, per Associated Press. The upcoming memoir promises a closer look at Biden's decision to exit the 2024 presidential race against Donald Trump and Jean Pierre's decision to become an Independent. 'Jean-Pierre didn't come to her decision to be an Independent lightly,' Hachette Book Group says in a promotional release. 'She has served two American presidents, Obama and Biden… She takes us through the three weeks that led to Biden's abandoning his bid for a second term and the betrayal by the Democratic Party that led to his decision.' Meanwhile, Jean-Pierre said in a statement, 'Until January 20, I was responsible for speaking on behalf of the President of the United States.' 'At noon on that day, I became a private citizen who, like all Americans and many of our allies around the world, had to contend with what was to come next for our country. I determined that the danger we face as a country requires freeing ourselves of boxes. We need to be willing to exercise the ability to think creatively and plan strategically.' The 50-year-old succeeded Jen Psaki as press secretary in 2022. She previously served as deputy press secretary and a senior advisor to Biden's 2020 campaign. Before that, she was a regional political director during Obama's first term. Throughout the November race, Jean-Pierre faced criticism, especially for being evasive about the former president's health. Legacy Lit's announcement on Wednesday further states that Jean-Pierre 'presents clear arguments and provocative evidence as an insider about the importance of dismantling the torrent of disinformation and misinformation that has been rampant in recent elections and provides passionate insight for moving forward,' per the outlet.


Hindustan Times
24 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
A new framework to govern Ladakh
The regulations regarding Ladakh notified by the Centre on Tuesday are significant for multiple reasons. One, it suggests a direction for addressing governance concerns in the Union territory (UT), a first since 2019, when Article 370 was abrogated and Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into two UTs. Two, it provides partial redress to concerns that local communities raised, and highlighted in their 2023 protests, regarding safeguards for their unique regional identity, culture, and material resources. Three, a stable Ladakh with a robust governance structure and infrastructure is essential since the UT shares a restive border with China: Indian and Chinese troops clashed in the Galwan Valley in 2020 and the stand-off continued till October last year. The new rules address matters related to domicile status and job quotas (85% reservation for Ladakhis excluding economically weaker section quota), which, hopefully, will assuage the fears about large-scale settlement of 'outsiders' in this ecologically sensitive terrain. The rules concerning domicile status are similar to those in Jammu and Kashmir, though Ladakh has no elected legislature. This means regulations governing Ladakh are executive decisions made by the Centre — in this case in consultation with local representatives — and not the outcome of deliberations in an elected House. It would also mean that these regulations can be changed, withdrawn or amended through executive orders and without the approval of local stakeholders. Though such fears seem unwarranted, the Centre must have a conversation with the broader segment of Ladakhi voices if necessary, and ensure that the regulations, say for the protection of local languages, become enabling provisions. After all, the call in Ladakh has been for statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which provides legislative, executive, judicial and financial powers, and the current initiative falls short of that demand.


Mint
28 minutes ago
- Mint
Why Elon Musk turned against Donald Trump and his ‘One Big Beautiful Bill' - Here are the 5 reasons
Once close allies, now at odds: Elon Musk's once-robust relationship with Donald Trump appears to be crumbling amid growing policy clashes, public criticism, and mounting fallout for Musk's companies. The turning point seems to be Trump's so-called 'Big Beautiful Bill,' a sweeping Republican legislative package that Musk claims undermines innovation and economic discipline. Here's a breakdown of the key reasons behind the falling out: Elon Musk's sharp break from Donald Trump finds its most immediate pain point in Tesla's bottom line: the proposed elimination of federal electric vehicle (EV) tax credits. Under current policy, buyers of new EVs are eligible for up to $7,500 in federal tax credits, with an additional $4,000 available for used EVs. These credits, part of the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act, have been a critical incentive driving EV adoption—and by extension, Tesla's sales. But Trump's so-called 'Big Beautiful Bill,' backed by GOP lawmakers, aims to gut those incentives entirely for manufacturers that have already sold over 200,000 qualifying vehicles between 2009 and 2025. Tesla, by far the EV market leader, is directly in the firing line: the company sold over 336,000 vehicles in just Q1 of 2025 alone. According to JPMorgan analyst Ryan Brinkman, the removal of these credits could represent a $1.2 billion headwind for Tesla—a significant blow as the company battles slumping demand, falling profits, and political backlash from Musk's government role. So, Musk became increasingly vocal in criticising Trump's massive federal spending bill—nicknamed the 'Big Beautiful Bill.' Musk called the bill 'a disgusting abomination' and accused GOP lawmakers of abandoning fiscal responsibility. 'I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly… which increases the budget deficit… I don't know if a bill can be big and beautiful,' Musk told CBS previously. Musk's discontent escalated after Trump abruptly withdrew the nomination of private astronuat and his ally Jared Isaacman—as NASA Administrator. Trump cited 'prior associations' in his decision, which Musk might have seen as a betrayal. Isaacman had broad support in the space community and was seen as Musk's pick to align NASA policy with SpaceX's interests. His removal coincided with Musk's own exit as a 'special government employee' running the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). 'It is rare to find someone so competent and good-hearted,' Musk said in support of Isaacman, signaling the depth of his frustration. Elon Musk's foray into federal governance as a 'special government employee' under the Trump administration has left a lasting dent in his personal and public image. What began as a high-profile effort to 'streamline government efficiency' quickly turned into a political and reputational minefield for the billionaire CEO. As head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk was tasked with cutting what the Trump administration called 'wasteful spending.' But the resulting actions—including mass layoffs in federal departments, rumored threats to Social Security and Medicare programs, and abrupt budget slashes—sparked widespread backlash. Despite Musk's repeated clarifications that DOGE had no authority over entitlement programs, public anger snowballed. 'It's a bit unfair because DOGE became the whipping boy for everything,' Musk told CBS. 'I've had people think DOGE is going to stop them from getting their Social Security check, which is completely untrue.' The political blowback triggered a sharp decline in Musk's public approval. Protests, online campaigns, and lawsuits followed, along with a string of death threats and acts of violence targeting both Musk and Tesla facilities. As public anger grew, Tesla became a target: Showrooms were vandalised Tesla vehicle sales plummeted Shares fell 50% from record highs Net worth dropped by $100 billion Musk lamented being made the scapegoat: 'DOGE became the whipping boy for everything... People thought it would stop their Social Security checks.' His candid remarks reflect a man caught between two identities—visionary entrepreneur and political appointee. 'I don't want to speak up against the administration,' he said, 'but I also don't want to take responsibility for everything this administration is doing.' Musk recently escalated pressure on the FAA to drop Verizon's $2.4 billion contract for air traffic control upgrades, claiming the system is failing. He offered Starlink as an emergency solution, suggesting the FAA should shift the contract to SpaceX. But critics flagged this as a possible conflict of interest—especially since Musk had been advising on federal spending.