Analysts Say Trade Talks With the US Are Ongoing, but China Can’t Say It

Beijing’s insistence on the lack of tariff negotiations with Washington has sparked speculation about what might be unfolding behind the scenes.

A man and a woman sit on a bench facing the Yantian International Container Terminals, where massive container ships are docked beneath rows of gantry cranes, in Shenzhen, China, on April 11, 2025. Cheng Xin/Getty Images

China’s ruling communist regime has repeatedly denied that it’s engaged in trade negotiations with the United States, as President Donald Trump said that talks were underway.

Beijing’s insistence on no discussion has sparked speculation about what might be unfolding behind the scenes.