
What's ahead for US-China tariffs, trade talks? Top experts weigh in
After months of chest-thumping, accusations and threats, look for
US-China trade relations to weather an uneasy pause as the giants retreat from extremist positions, guard against backtracking and alter the negotiating dynamic toward an eventual agreement, analysts and former US officials say.
The breather follows this month's London
sit-down after the two engaged in a high-stakes tariff battle then went for each other's jugulars, with China blocking rare earth exports and Washington choking off jet engines and semiconductor software.
'Absolutely the trend lines point in the direction of a truce, a pause, a respite in US-China tensions,' said Jeremy Chan, a senior analyst at Eurasia Group. 'We're seeing signs of short-term stability that weren't there even a month ago.'
The pause, which went into effect on May 12, is set to last three months if it is not extended.
That is likely to result in US tariffs being capped at 55 per cent and China's at 10 per cent, according to analysts, with Washington using the hiatus to ensure that Beijing resumes rare earths exports and Beijing seeking more organised negotiations to moderate Trump's unpredictable approach.
05:19
How are Chinese citizens feeling the effects of the US-China tariff war?
How are Chinese citizens feeling the effects of the US-China tariff war?
Hashtags

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


South China Morning Post
20 minutes ago
- South China Morning Post
China industrial profits sink 9% in May on ‘weak demand', US trade dispute
China's industrial profits fell by more than 9 per cent in May over the same month of 2024, according to data released on Friday, reflecting what analysts said was weak domestic demand for minerals and motor vehicles, coupled with ramifications of the US-China tariff dispute. Advertisement The National Bureau of Statistics said profits for industrial companies making more than 20 million yuan a year in revenue dropped in May by 9.1 per cent, year on year. Industrial profits fell 9.7 per cent in May over April, after seasonal adjustments, following a 4 per cent rise in April versus March, New York-based Goldman Sachs said in a research note on Friday. And manufacturing profits, part of industry overall, saw a year-on-year increase of 8.6 per cent during the first four months of 2025 before slowing to 5.4 per cent in May, Dutch financial services firm ING calculated. Bureau data also showed that mining profits fell a steep 29 per cent in the first five months of the year compared with the same months of 2024, and that automotive profits shed 11.9 per cent over the same period. Advertisement The bureau blamed insufficient demand, falling prices, and fluctuations in 'short-term factors' for the overall decline in profits last month. Its figures showed that profits reached 2.72 trillion yuan (US$380 billion) in the first five months of 2025, down 1.1 per cent, year on year.


South China Morning Post
30 minutes ago
- South China Morning Post
Chinese firm Dobot develops robotic arm capable of lifting high payload at record speed
Chinese robotics company Shenzhen Dobot has developed a new product that can deliver a high payload at record speed. The CR 30H series, consisting of three models, is a six-axis robotic arm that can lift as much as 30 kilograms at speeds of 300 degrees per second, the fastest in the industry for such a payload, according to a company statement on Friday. In addition, the machine is able to remain stable, with a vibration range of less than 0.3 millimeters under a full load, allowing it to perform delicate tasks such as carrying beverages and handling silicon wafers. One of the three models, the CR 30HT, has built-in torque sensors so that users can teach the robot the required action by dragging the arm instead of programming it, saving 90 per cent of preparation time, the company said. People look at a robot from Unitree Robotics during the Mobile World Congress in Shanghai on June 18, 2025. Photo: AFP As well as the standard model, the third type, designated CR 30H-Food, uses food-grade lubricants and features easy-to-clean surfaces, making it suitable for dairy, frozen food and pharmaceutical production lines. Shares of Hong Kong-listed Dobot edged up more than 1 per cent to close at HK$57.9 on Friday.


South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- South China Morning Post
Taiwan's former leader Ma Ying-jeou calls for ‘peaceful and democratic' unification
Former Taiwanese leader Ma Ying-jeou proposed that unification between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait should be achieved peacefully and democratically – rejecting the use or threat of force – in a rare unscripted moment during a speech on the mainland on Thursday. Advertisement It marked the first time Ma, also the former chairman of the mainland-friendly Kuomintang (KMT), has explicitly expressed his views on unification during his four visits to mainland China. His current trip started on June 14 and ends on Friday. 'My position is that the two sides of the strait should pursue peaceful and democratic unification,' said Ma, who served as Taiwan's leader from 2008 to 2016. He made the remarks at a Chinese cultural event in Dunhuang , a city in Gansu province, according to Taiwan's United Daily News on Thursday. He went on to clarify that unification should not be achieved through 'the use or threat of force' and must 'respect the will of the people of Taiwan', according to the report. The comments – delivered off-script during a carefully arranged visit – were addressed to roughly 180 attendees, which included Song Tao , head of the mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office. Advertisement In response to Ma's surprise comment, Song said in his remarks following Ma's speech that 'the future and destiny of Taiwan should be jointly decided by all Chinese people on both sides of the strait', according to a separate report by United Daily News.