AsianFin -- U.S. President Donald Trump signaled Wednesday that he might reduce tariffs on Chinese goods to gain Beijing's approval for a U.S. acquisition of TikTok, framing the potential concession as a strategic trade-off.
"Every tariff percentage point is worth more than TikTok," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. "To get China on board, maybe I'd offer them a tariff reduction."
The remarks came during an event announcing new 25% auto import duties, preceding next week's rollout of his broader reciprocal tariff plan. The administration has already imposed 20% tariffs on $550 billion worth of Chinese imports.
Trump expressed confidence about reaching at least a preliminary TikTok agreement by next week but indicated willingness to extend deadlines if needed. The comments reveal his willingness to leverage trade policy as a bargaining chip in the high-stakes negotiations over the popular video app's U.S. operations.
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