President Donald Trump stated that the United States must exercise caution regarding its relationship with China, indicating that Washington is actively considering halting certain commercial activities with Beijing as an act of economic retaliation.
Speaking at the White House following a meeting with Argentine President Javier Milei, President Trump emphasized that while he maintains a civil relationship with President Xi Jinping, that relationship is often strained by what he perceives as China’s tendency to exploit others.
"We have to be careful with China," President Trump said. "Look, I have a good relationship with President Xi Jinping, but sometimes that relationship is tested because China likes to take advantage of people. And they won't be able to take advantage of us."
He added that he believes the overall relationship with China is "fair" and is optimistic it will be resolved, but added a caveat: "And if it's not resolved, that's okay, too."
Warning on Military Cooperation
During the meeting, President Trump also issued a strong warning against any defense cooperation between Argentina and China, signaling his disapproval of closer military ties between Beijing and South American nations.
"You can do some trade, but you certainly shouldn't go any further than that," he warned. "Absolutely nothing should be done regarding the military sphere with China. And if that is indeed happening, I will be very disappointed."
Considering Commercial Retaliation
Simultaneously, President Trump highlighted potential aggressive trade measures the U.S. government is considering in response to what he views as hostile economic actions by China.
"I believe China's deliberate failure to purchase our soybeans and its obstruction of soybean farmers constitutes an act of economic hostility," President Trump posted on social media. "We are considering halting business with China related to cooking oil and other commercial sectors in retaliation."
He specifically noted the self-sufficiency of the U.S. in these sectors: "For example, we can totally produce our own cooking oil. We don't need to buy it from China."
This threat of commercial retaliation follows escalating trade tensions, particularly after Beijing announced tightened regulations on rare earth exports. The US had previously threatened to impose a 100% tariff on Chinese goods starting in November. However, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the tariff implementation would be delayed until after President Trump's scheduled meeting with President Xi Jinping in South Korea later this month, an effort aimed at reducing market uncertainty.
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