Former President Donald Trump took to Truth Social on June 4th to share his assessment of Chinese President Xi Jinping, describing him as “VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH!!!” This comment came just before anticipated trade negotiations between the two leaders were expected to occur this week.

Trump’s statement, despite expressing a personal liking for Xi, highlights the anticipated challenges in any potential trade deal. While the White House hasn’t yet confirmed a date for these discussions, the tension is palpable.

The backdrop to this upcoming negotiation includes the retaliatory actions taken by China following Trump’s announcement of reciprocal tariffs in early April. According to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, China was the sole nation to respond with counter tariffs and non-tariff measures. However, a glimmer of hope emerged on May 12th with a 90-day agreement reached in Geneva. This agreement stipulated a temporary rollback of high tariffs and retaliatory measures, paving the way for further negotiations, the outcome of which remains to be seen given Trump’s recent comments.