NEW DELHI: US President Donald Trump has signaled a potential U-turn on the trade war unleashed against China, saying the high tariffs on goods from China will “come down substantially, but it won’t be zero”.

The remarks by President Trump at a press briefing in the White House on Tuesday illustrate a rhetorical climbdown after following a retaliatory tactic for several weeks against Chinese goods which sent the tariffs to skyrocketing 145%.

During a question-answer session in the Oval Office, Trump said “145% is very high and it won’t be that high. It won’t be anywhere near that high. It’ll come down substantially. But it won’t be zero.”

The remarks by Trump comes after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent commented that high tariff rates between the United States and China were “unsustainable” and that he expects a “de-escalation” in the trade war between the two largest economies in the world.

Trump has raised import tariffs on Chinese goods to 145% and in retaliatory measure, China has increased tariffs on American products to 120%. Trump announced his reciprocal tariffs on all its global trading partners on April 2 with a range of 10% to 50%, only to place it under moratorium for three months amid turmoil in the market.

Treasury Secretary Bessent, in his earlier remark regarding the US-China trade war, said that “I do say China is going to be a slog in terms of the negotiations. Neither side thinks the status quo is sustainable,” Associated Press reported.

Despite imposing a 145% tariff on Chinese goods and up to 245% on some Chinese products, Trump said “We’re doing fine with China. We’re going to live together very happily and ideally work together.”