As trade frictions escalate between the world’s two largest economies, communication channels between the United States and China have become so unreliable that both nations cannot even confirm if dialogue is ongoing.
During a recent White House economic briefing, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent repeatedly declined to confirm President Trump’s statement that President Xi Jinping had called him. While senior economic officials are typically informed of high-level communications, Bessent emphasized that he does not keep track of presidential phone calls.
“I have many responsibilities at the White House; managing phone calls isn’t one of them,” Bessent remarked with a touch of humor.
Nonetheless, the apparent communication breakdown between the two nations raises serious concerns for the stability of the global economy.
Financial markets remain fixated on the ambiguity surrounding possible back-channel talks. Although diplomatic ties have not been completely severed, discussions specifically related to tariffs appear to have stalled.
At a press briefing last Friday, Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry, stated, “China and the United States have not engaged in consultations or negotiations regarding tariffs. The United States should avoid misleading the public.”
