US-China Trade War Intensifies as Both Sides Refuse to Back Down

US President Donald Trump has stated that he is "waiting for a call from Beijing" to resolve trade tensions, even as China insists on "equality, respect, and mutual benefit" before engaging in talks. The ongoing standoff between the world’s two largest economies escalated on Tuesday, with China vowing to "fight to the end."

Despite the hardened positions and fractured ties, global stock markets, including in the US, rebounded sharply. However, pressure is mounting on Trump from business leaders, with the US Chamber of Commerce reportedly considering legal action against the government to halt his aggressive tariff policies.

Trump, meanwhile, continued his rhetoric against China while boasting that other nations were lining up for trade negotiations. He mentioned that a South Korean delegation was en route to the US and that leaders from Japan and Vietnam had also reached out. Notably, he did not mention India, which has been discreetly engaged in trade discussions with a US team for several weeks.

"China also wants to make a deal, badly, but they don’t know how to get it started. We are waiting for their call. It will happen!" Trump posted on X.

Beyond trade and tariffs, the US President also hinted at expanding negotiations with allies on other issues, calling it a "one-stop shopping" approach.

China, however, refused to yield to pressure, condemning what it called "intimidation, threat, and blackmail." A Chinese spokesperson in Beijing asserted that "the Chinese people’s legitimate right to development" would not be compromised.

"If the US truly wants to talk, it should show readiness to engage with equality, respect, and mutual benefit. If the US decides to ignore its own interests, as well as those of China and the world, and insists on a trade war, China will fight to the end," the spokesperson stated.

With both sides refusing to back down, analysts warn that Washington may be underestimating Beijing’s resolve, as Chinese leadership cannot afford to lose face domestically. The standoff now hinges on which side blinks first.

Also Read: Trump Defends Tariff Plans Amid Market Turmoil: "Sometimes You Have to Take Medicine"