Trump optimistic about trade deal with China, narrows Fed chair candidates to four
發佈日期: 2025-08-06 20:40
TVB News
With countries bracing for new wave of U.S. tariffs, U.S. President Donald Trump was optimistic about reaching a trade agreement with Beijing in the near term.
That could pave the way for a meeting between Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping later this year.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said he had candidates in mind to fill the vacancy on the Federal Reserve's Board of Governors.
The Trump administration recently sharpened the threat of sanctions on Russia after it failed to agree to a ceasefire with Ukraine.
Donald Trump sought to cut off Russia's lifelines by considering imposing secondary sanctions on countries that buy oil from Russia, a move that could hike taxes on Chinese and Indian goods exported to the U.S.
Speaking to the press, Trump hinted that he has not yet committed to a specific tariff rate, adding it will be determined after Wednesday's meeting with Russia.
As for his pick to fill a coming vacancy on the Fed's Board of Governors, Trump told reporters the decision will be made "before the end of the week."
Trump said: "We've narrowed it to a couple of candidates, and we've also, we're looking at the Fed chair, and that's down to four people."
He said he was choosing whether to nominate someone to permanently join the board and possibly succeed Jerome Powell once he leaves office in May 2026, or serve out the remaining term of Adriana Kugler.
Trump ruled out Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent as a candidate for Fed chair in a CNBC interview, saying this is because Bessent wanted to stay in the top Treasury job.
Regarding trade talks with China, Trump said the two sides are getting close to extending their trade truce and that he would meet with President Xi Jinping before the end of the year if an agreement is reached.
The U.S. president repeated his claim that the previous 145 percent total tariff on Chinese goods, which would stop most bilateral trade, was imposed because Beijing hasn't done enough to crack down on the illicit fentanyl trade.
Trump also said his administration would initially place a small tariff on pharma imports into the U.S., but in a year to one and a half years, the rate will reach 150 percent, and then eventually 250 percent.
Swiss medical technology firm Ypsomed is reportedly planning to move production to Germany and increase output in America, according to a Bloomberg report.
Switzerland is facing a deadline on Thursday when the 39 percent U.S. tariff on its products goes into effect.
A scramble is underway as the Swiss president flew to Washington to meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for last-minute negotiations.
