The president said reducing tariffs to 80 percent from the current 145 percent “sounds right,” as U.S. and Chinese negotiators prepare to meet in Switzerland.

President Donald Trump remains firm that the United States is not going to unilaterally reduce tariffs on Chinese goods without concessions from China, the White House said on Friday, hours after Trump floated the idea of reducing the current rate of 145% down to 80% as the two sides prepare for talks between in Switzerland.

As high-level trade talks between the United States and China draw closer, President Donald Trump has publicly suggested a potential tariff rate of 80 per cent on Chinese imports — a notable shift from the current 145 per cent rate that his administration has imposed.