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CNN
24-04-2025
- Business
- CNN
Trump's trade war olive branch met with derision and mistrust inside China
US President Donald Trump has delighted global investors with the possibility of a 'substantial' reduction of China tariffs. But his signal to de-escalate America's trade war with the world's second-biggest economy has been greeted with suspicion and ridicule inside China, with online users deriding the mercurial leader as having 'chickened out.' On Tuesday, Trump told reporters at the Oval Office the astronomical tariffs on Chinese goods will 'come down substantially.' He even promised to eschew hardball tactics, vowing to be 'very nice' at the negotiating table and pledged not to mention the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic. But those peace overtures have failed to elicit a positive response from Beijing. At least, not publicly. Asked about Trump's comments on Wednesday, a spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry appeared to shrug them off by citing a familiar official refrain: Beijing is willing to talk, but not when it's being pressured or threatened by triple-digit tariffs. Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at Renmin University in Beijing, explained that, after weeks of posturing and contradictory messages, Chinese officials mistrust Trump. Moreover, he says, Beijing feels it now has the upper hand. 'The pressure at home is mounting, and much of his current messaging is aimed at appeasing domestic concerns,' he told CNN, pointing to a slump on Wall Street and concerns about inflation. 'He's getting a bit flustered now. But China doesn't buy into his talk about (substantially lowering) tariffs. He says one thing today and another tomorrow, maybe increasing them again the next day. He's not trustworthy.' For months, Beijing has been projecting an air of strength. Last week, Chinese leader Xi Jinping toured three countries in Southeast Asia to bolster China's position as a stable political and economic partner. However, the Chinese economy isn't the juggernaut it once was, and some experts say Beijing will eventually have to negotiate. Trump's potential U-turn on China came a day after he met privately with chief executives of four major US retail companies — Walmart, Target, Home Depot and Lowe's — who expressed concern about rising economic fallout from his tariff policy and the uncertainty it has created for financial markets. Many major investment banks have predicted the massive tariffs, as well as China's 125% retaliatory tariffs on US goods, would plunge the US and global economies into a recession. On Wednesday, Trump told reporters that there were direct talks between US and Chinese officials 'every day' on trade, though he didn't want to be drawn out on the specifics. And while the president hasn't quantified what he means by a substantial tariff cut, a senior White House official separately told the Wall Street Journal that the current 145% tariffs on China could come down to 'between roughly 50% and 65%.' But Renmin University's Wang, who is currently traveling in Washington and speaking to American analysts, said slashing tariffs to that level is not enough to get China to negotiate. 'If you really want to negotiate seriously with China, then you should cancel all those baseless tariffs first, and then come back to the table,' he said, adding that Trump is trying to 'bait' Beijing into talks. 'If you call him now and show any sign of weakness, he'll think his tactic is working—and double down,' he added. The news that the Trump administration was considering slashing the levies was largely derided on Chinese social media, where it was the top trending topic on Weibo on Thursday morning. 'Our side says we don't care about that!' one user wrote in a comment that garnered more than 1,000 likes. Another said: 'If the so-called reciprocal tariffs aren't even canceled— don't bother negotiating with them!' This commonly heard hardline position is an echo of China's public responses. But despite Beijing's official stance, some Chinese experts question the wisdom of a drawn-out showdown with Washington. Speaking to CNN on condition of anonymity, a foreign policy expert in China said he was concerned about the impact of the sky-high tariffs on the country's sluggish economy. 'Chinese authorities are not telling the truth. We're being tortured by the grim economic decline,' they said. If the 145% tariffs remain in place, 'our entire foreign trade landscape would be significantly impacted, resulting in massive job losses. Social unrest could increase, and the legitimacy of the government could be jeopardized,' they added. Similar views expressed by Chinese experts, including criticism of Beijing's move to impose tit-for-tat retaliatory tariffs on the US, are often censored on Chinese social media. Earlier in April, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, a top government think tank, posted on his personal WeChat social media feed calling China's countermeasures 'completely wrong.' 'The US raising tariffs is like lifting a rock only to drop it on its own foot — we shouldn't do the same and hurt ourselves,' the researcher wrote in the post, the screenshot of which was censored after gaining traction online. Last month, Beijing set an ambitious target of 'around 5%' growth for this year, in a show of confidence in its export-driven economy. However, economists believe it will be tough to meet this target. Analysts believe exports, which surged by 12.4% in March compared with the year before, will not be able to maintain that strong momentum in the coming months because of the American levies. Earlier this month, investment bank Goldman Sachs said the US tariffs will 'significantly weigh' on the Chinese economy. The expert who spoke to CNN anonymously believes China will come to the negotiation table in time. 'The Chinese side is posturing,' they said. 'We must quickly reverse the trade war with the United States, but it's all about saving face — pretending to be strong while waiting for the US to blink first. Then it can frame any compromise in the China-US negotiations as a Chinese victory and an American failure.'
CNN
24-04-2025
- Business
- CNN
Trump's trade war olive branch met with derision and mistrust inside China
US President Donald Trump has delighted global investors with the possibility of a 'substantial' reduction of China tariffs. But his signal to de-escalate America's trade war with the world's second-biggest economy has been greeted with suspicion and ridicule inside China, with online users deriding the mercurial leader as having 'chickened out.' On Tuesday, Trump told reporters at the Oval Office the astronomical tariffs on Chinese goods will 'come down substantially.' He even promised to eschew hardball tactics, vowing to be 'very nice' at the negotiating table and pledged not to mention the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic. But those peace overtures have failed to elicit a positive response from Beijing. At least, not publicly. Asked about Trump's comments on Wednesday, a spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry appeared to shrug them off by citing a familiar official refrain: Beijing is willing to talk, but not when it's being pressured or threatened by triple-digit tariffs. Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at Renmin University in Beijing, explained that, after weeks of posturing and contradictory messages, Chinese officials mistrust Trump. Moreover, he says, Beijing feels it now has the upper hand. 'The pressure at home is mounting, and much of his current messaging is aimed at appeasing domestic concerns,' he told CNN, pointing to a slump on Wall Street and concerns about inflation. 'He's getting a bit flustered now. But China doesn't buy into his talk about (substantially lowering) tariffs. He says one thing today and another tomorrow, maybe increasing them again the next day. He's not trustworthy.' For months, Beijing has been projecting an air of strength. Last week, Chinese leader Xi Jinping toured three countries in Southeast Asia to bolster China's position as a stable political and economic partner. However, the Chinese economy isn't the juggernaut it once was, and some experts say Beijing will eventually have to negotiate. Trump's potential U-turn on China came a day after he met privately with chief executives of four major US retail companies — Walmart, Target, Home Depot and Lowe's — who expressed concern about rising economic fallout from his tariff policy and the uncertainty it has created for financial markets. Many major investment banks have predicted the massive tariffs, as well as China's 125% retaliatory tariffs on US goods, would plunge the US and global economies into a recession. On Wednesday, Trump told reporters that there were direct talks between US and Chinese officials 'every day' on trade, though he didn't want to be drawn out on the specifics. And while the president hasn't quantified what he means by a substantial tariff cut, a senior White House official separately told the Wall Street Journal that the current 145% tariffs on China could come down to 'between roughly 50% and 65%.' But Renmin University's Wang, who is currently traveling in Washington and speaking to American analysts, said slashing tariffs to that level is not enough to get China to negotiate. 'If you really want to negotiate seriously with China, then you should cancel all those baseless tariffs first, and then come back to the table,' he said, adding that Trump is trying to 'bait' Beijing into talks. 'If you call him now and show any sign of weakness, he'll think his tactic is working—and double down,' he added. The news that the Trump administration was considering slashing the levies was largely derided on Chinese social media, where it was the top trending topic on Weibo on Thursday morning. 'Our side says we don't care about that!' one user wrote in a comment that garnered more than 1,000 likes. Another said: 'If the so-called reciprocal tariffs aren't even canceled— don't bother negotiating with them!' This commonly heard hardline position is an echo of China's public responses. But despite hardline official stance, some Chinese experts question the wisdom of a drawn-out showdown with Washington. Speaking to CNN on condition of anonymity, a foreign policy expert in China said he was concerned about the impact of the sky-high tariffs on the country's sluggish economy. 'Chinese authorities are not telling the truth. We're being tortured by the grim economic decline,' they said. If the 145% tariffs remain in place, 'our entire foreign trade landscape would be significantly impacted, resulting in massive job losses. Social unrest could increase, and the legitimacy of the government could be jeopardized,' they added. Similar views expressed by Chinese experts, including criticism of Beijing's move to impose tit-for-tat retaliatory tariffs on the US, are often censored on Chinese social media. Earlier in April, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, a top government think tank, posted on his personal WeChat social media feed calling China's countermeasures 'completely wrong.' 'The US raising tariffs is like lifting a rock only to drop it on its own foot — we shouldn't do the same and hurt ourselves,' the researcher wrote in the post, the screenshot of which was censored after gaining traction online. Last month, Beijing set an ambitious target of 'around 5%' growth for this year, in a show of confidence in its export-driven economy. However, economists believe it will be tough to meet this target. Analysts believe exports, which surged by 12.4% in March compared with the year before, will not be able to maintain that strong momentum in the coming months because of the American levies. Earlier this month, investment bank Goldman Sachs said the US tariffs will 'significantly weigh' on the Chinese economy. The expert who spoke to CNN anonymously believes China will come to the negotiation table in time. 'The Chinese side is posturing,' they said. 'We must quickly reverse the trade war with the United States, but it's all about saving face — pretending to be strong while waiting for the US to blink first. Then it can frame any compromise in the China-US negotiations as a Chinese victory and an American failure.'
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Former Malaysian leader Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dies aged 85
Former Malaysian prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has died aged 85, medics said. The Institut Jantung Negara, the hospital in Kuala Lumpur where he was being treated, said he had been suffering from heart disease. Mr Abdullah, Malaysia's fifth leader, served from 2003 to 2009. He was pressured to resign to take responsibility for the governing coalition's dismal results in national elections. After leaving politics, he kept a low profile. In 2022, his son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin, disclosed that Mr Abdullah had dementia that was progressively worsening. He said Mr Abdullah had trouble speaking and could not recognise his family. Mr Abdullah entered the critical care unit at the National Heart Institute on April 25 last year after being diagnosed with spontaneous pneumothorax, a collapsed lung that occurs without any apparent cause. Affectionately known as 'Pak Lah', Mr Abdullah was admitted to Kuala Lumpur's State Institute of Heart on Sunday after experiencing breathing difficulties where he was closely monitored by a cardiac specialist team, but he passed away on Monday morning. He was a moderate who extended the country's political freedoms, but was criticised for lacklustre leadership. Mr Abdullah took office in October 2003, riding a wave of popularity as he replaced Mahathir Mohamad, a domineering, sharp-tongued leader known for his semi-authoritarian rule during 22 years in office. A seasoned politician who held many cabinet positions, Mr Abdullah was handpicked by Mr Mahathir, who believed a soft-spoken, unambitious leader would maintain his policies. Initially, Mr Abdullah won support with promises of institutional reforms and his brand of moderate Islam. He was known fondly as 'Pak Lah', or 'Uncle Lah'. He pledged greater political freedoms with more space for critics, and vowed to end corruption after a government minister was hauled to court on related allegations. Oh Ei Sun from Singapore's Institute of International Affairs said: 'During his rule, the country transitioned from a very authoritarian rule under Mahathir to a more multifaceted regime. It provided some breathing space for many Malaysians after more than two decades of very suffocating rule.' Months after taking office, Mr Abdullah led his National Front governing coalition to a landslide victory in a 2004 general election seen as a stamp of approval of his leadership. That helped him to partially step out of Mr Mahathir's shadow – but the euphoria did not last. In the following years, Mr Abdullah faced criticism inside and outside his party for generally lacklustre and ineffectual leadership. He did not follow through on promises to eradicate corruption, reform the judiciary and strengthen institutions such as the police and the civil service. Critics slammed Mr Abdullah for concurrently taking on the finance minister and internal security minister posts. He was often criticized for dozing off during meetings or at public events, which he blamed on a sleep disorder. Mr Khairy, his son-in-law, led a team of advisers in the Prime Minister's Office whom critics said influenced Mr Abdullah's decisions and controlled access to him. Mr Abdullah also fell out with Mr Mahathir after he axed some of the former leader's projects, including a proposed bridge to Singapore. Mr Mahathir turned into one of his fiercest critics and accused Abdullah of nepotism and inefficiency. While Mr Abdullah was viewed as a weak leader, he ushered in limited freedom of speech and allowed a more critical media. Conservatives in his party said this was his undoing, as it bolstered a newly resurgent opposition led by reformist Anwar Ibrahim. Mr Anwar, Malaysia's current leader, became Prime Minister after 2022 elections.
The Hill
14-04-2025
- Health
- The Hill
Former Malaysian leader Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who extended political freedoms, dies at 85
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Former Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, a moderate who extended the country's political freedoms but was criticized for lackluster leadership, has died of heart disease. He was 85. Abdullah entered the critical care unit at the National Heart Institute on April 25, 2024 after being diagnosed with spontaneous pneumothorax, a collapsed lung that occurs without any apparent cause. Affectionately known as 'Pak Lah,' Abdullah was admitted to Kuala Lumpur's State Institute of Heart on Sunday after experiencing breathing difficulties where he was closely monitored by a cardiac specialists team, but he passed away on Monday at 7:10 p.m. despite all medical efforts, said the hospital in a statement. Abdullah, Malaysia's fifth leader, served from 2003 to 2009, when he was pressured to resign to take responsibility for the governing coalition's dismal results in national elections. He kept a low profile after leaving politics. In 2022, his son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin, disclosed that Abdullah had dementia that was progressively worsening. He said Abdullah had trouble speaking and could not recognize his family. Abdullah took office in October 2003, riding a wave of popularity as he replaced Mahathir Mohamad, a domineering, sharp-tongued leader known for his semi-authoritarian rule during 22 years in office. A seasoned politician who held many Cabinet positions, Abdullah was handpicked by Mahathir, who believed a soft-spoken, unambitious leader would maintain his policies. Initially, Abdullah won support with promises of institutional reforms and his brand of moderate Islam. He was known fondly as 'Pak Lah' or Uncle Lah. He pledged greater political freedoms with more space for critics, and vowed to end corruption after a government minister was hauled to court on graft allegations. 'During his rule, the country transitioned from a very authoritarian rule under Mahathir to a more multifaceted regime. It provided some breathing space for many Malaysians after more than two decades of very suffocating rule,' said Oh Ei Sun from Singapore's Institute of International Affairs. Months after taking office, Abdullah led his National Front governing coalition to a landslide victory in a 2004 general election seen as a stamp of approval of his leadership. That helped him partially step out of Mahathir's shadow, but the euphoria didn't last. In the following years, Abdullah faced criticism inside and outside his party for generally lackluster and ineffectual leadership. He didn't follow through on promises to eradicate corruption, reform the judiciary and strengthen institutions such as the police and the civil service. Critics slammed Abdullah for concurrently taking on the finance minister and internal security minister posts. He was often criticized for dozing off during meetings or at public events, which he blamed on a sleep disorder. Khairy, his son-in-law, led a team of advisers in the Prime Minister's Office whom critics said influenced Abdullah's decisions and controlled access to him. Abdullah also fell out with Mahathir after he axed some of the former leader's projects, including a proposed bridge to Singapore. Mahathir turned into one of his fiercest critics and accused Abdullah of nepotism and inefficiency.. While Abdullah was viewed as a weak leader, he ushered in limited freedom of speech and allowing a more critical media. Conservatives in his party said that was his undoing as it bolstered a newly resurgent opposition led by reformist Anwar Ibrahim. Anwar, Malaysia's current leader, became prime minister after 2022 elections. In late 2007, Abdullah faced a series of massive street protests on issues including fuel hikes, demands for electoral reforms and fairer treatment for ethnic minorities. The protests shook his administration. Police cracked down on the rallies and Abdullah warned he would sacrifice public freedoms for stability. In the March 2008 general election, his National Front suffered one of its worst results in a huge blow to Abdullah. It failed to secure a two-thirds legislative majority for the first time in 40 years, yielding 82 seats to the opposition in the 222-member Parliament. It also lost an unprecedented five states. Abdullah initially refused to step down, but pressure grew. Mahathir quit the United Malays National Organization, the linchpin of the governing coalition, to protest Abdullah's leadership. Dissidents within UMNO openly called on him to resign to take responsibility for the dismal election performance. Abdullah caved in and handed over power to his deputy, Najib Razak, in April 2009. Born in the northern state of Penang on Nov. 26, 1939, Abdullah came from a religious family. His grandfather was the first mufti, or Islamic jurist, of Penang. Abdullah received a bachelor's degree in Islamic Studies from the University of Malaya. After graduating, he entered the civil service for 14 years before resigning in 1978 to become a member of parliament. During a bitter dispute within UMNO in the 1980s, Abdullah sided with a group that opposed Mahathir. After Mahathir prevailed, Abdullah was sacked as defense minister but was later brought back into the Cabinet as foreign minister in 1991. In January 1999, Abdullah was appointed deputy prime minister and home affairs minister before succeeding Mahathir as prime minister in 2003. Abdullah's first wife, Endon Mahmood, died in 2005 after a battle with breast cancer. They have two children and seven grandchildren. He remarried two years later to Jeanne Abdullah, who was earlier married to the brother of Abdullah's first wife. She has two children from her previous marriage.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Former Malaysian leader Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who extended political freedoms, dies at 85
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Former Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, a moderate who extended the country's political freedoms but was criticized for lackluster leadership, has died of heart disease. He was 85. Abdullah entered the critical care unit at the National Heart Institute on April 25, 2024 after being diagnosed with spontaneous pneumothorax, a collapsed lung that occurs without any apparent cause. Affectionately known as 'Pak Lah,' Abdullah was admitted to Kuala Lumpur's State Institute of Heart on Sunday after experiencing breathing difficulties where he was closely monitored by a cardiac specialists team, but he passed away on Monday at 7:10 p.m. despite all medical efforts, said the hospital in a statement. Abdullah, Malaysia's fifth leader, served from 2003 to 2009, when he was pressured to resign to take responsibility for the governing coalition's dismal results in national elections. He kept a low profile after leaving politics. In 2022, his son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin, disclosed that Abdullah had dementia that was progressively worsening. He said Abdullah had trouble speaking and could not recognize his family. Abdullah took office in October 2003, riding a wave of popularity as he replaced Mahathir Mohamad, a domineering, sharp-tongued leader known for his semi-authoritarian rule during 22 years in office. A seasoned politician who held many Cabinet positions, Abdullah was handpicked by Mahathir, who believed a soft-spoken, unambitious leader would maintain his policies. Initially, Abdullah won support with promises of institutional reforms and his brand of moderate Islam. He was known fondly as 'Pak Lah' or Uncle Lah. He pledged greater political freedoms with more space for critics, and vowed to end corruption after a government minister was hauled to court on graft allegations. 'During his rule, the country transitioned from a very authoritarian rule under Mahathir to a more multifaceted regime. It provided some breathing space for many Malaysians after more than two decades of very suffocating rule,' said Oh Ei Sun from Singapore's Institute of International Affairs. Months after taking office, Abdullah led his National Front governing coalition to a landslide victory in a 2004 general election seen as a stamp of approval of his leadership. That helped him partially step out of Mahathir's shadow, but the euphoria didn't last. In the following years, Abdullah faced criticism inside and outside his party for generally lackluster and ineffectual leadership. He didn't follow through on promises to eradicate corruption, reform the judiciary and strengthen institutions such as the police and the civil service. Critics slammed Abdullah for concurrently taking on the finance minister and internal security minister posts. He was often criticized for dozing off during meetings or at public events, which he blamed on a sleep disorder. Khairy, his son-in-law, led a team of advisers in the Prime Minister's Office whom critics said influenced Abdullah's decisions and controlled access to him. Abdullah also fell out with Mahathir after he axed some of the former leader's projects, including a proposed bridge to Singapore. Mahathir turned into one of his fiercest critics and accused Abdullah of nepotism and inefficiency.. While Abdullah was viewed as a weak leader, he ushered in limited freedom of speech and allowing a more critical media. Conservatives in his party said that was his undoing as it bolstered a newly resurgent opposition led by reformist Anwar Ibrahim. Anwar, Malaysia's current leader, became prime minister after 2022 elections. In late 2007, Abdullah faced a series of massive street protests on issues including fuel hikes, demands for electoral reforms and fairer treatment for ethnic minorities. The protests shook his administration. Police cracked down on the rallies and Abdullah warned he would sacrifice public freedoms for stability. In the March 2008 general election, his National Front suffered one of its worst results in a huge blow to Abdullah. It failed to secure a two-thirds legislative majority for the first time in 40 years, yielding 82 seats to the opposition in the 222-member Parliament. It also lost an unprecedented five states. Abdullah initially refused to step down, but pressure grew. Mahathir quit the United Malays National Organization, the linchpin of the governing coalition, to protest Abdullah's leadership. Dissidents within UMNO openly called on him to resign to take responsibility for the dismal election performance. Abdullah caved in and handed over power to his deputy, Najib Razak, in April 2009. Born in the northern state of Penang on Nov. 26, 1939, Abdullah came from a religious family. His grandfather was the first mufti, or Islamic jurist, of Penang. Abdullah received a bachelor's degree in Islamic Studies from the University of Malaya. After graduating, he entered the civil service for 14 years before resigning in 1978 to become a member of parliament. During a bitter dispute within UMNO in the 1980s, Abdullah sided with a group that opposed Mahathir. After Mahathir prevailed, Abdullah was sacked as defense minister but was later brought back into the Cabinet as foreign minister in 1991. In January 1999, Abdullah was appointed deputy prime minister and home affairs minister before succeeding Mahathir as prime minister in 2003. Abdullah's first wife, Endon Mahmood, died in 2005 after a battle with breast cancer. They have two children and seven grandchildren. He remarried two years later to Jeanne Abdullah, who was earlier married to the brother of Abdullah's first wife. She has two children from her previous marriage.
