Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent have been making vaguely conciliatory comments about the administration’s approach to China. The former said this week that his tariffs will eventually “come down substantially” and that he won’t play hardball with Beijing.

Beijing is going on an international charm campaign to coax other countries hit hard by “Liberation Day” tariffs to take on the U.S.

An adviser to China’s Foreign Ministry said President Donald Trump misjudged Beijing by imagining it would cave into economic pressure,