May 12

US President Donald Trump has told China that now is the time to act to make a trade deal with the United States.

He tweeted on Saturday that the deal would become far worse for China if it has to be negotiated during his second term in office. The Trump administration has raised tariffs from 10 to 25 percent on 200 billion dollars' worth of imports from China. Last week, negotiators from the two countries failed to narrow their differences in talks in Washington.

The Trump administration also announced it has begun procedures to increase tariffs on all remaining Chinese imports -- worth about 300 billion dollars -- as Beijing is set to take retaliatory measures.

Trump is taking a tougher stance on China, against the backdrop of steady increases in US economic figures and stock prices.

NHK