U.S. President Donald Trump boards Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington, D.C., on the 12th (local time) to head to Israel. Yonhap News.  U.S. President Donald Trump said on the 12th (local time) regarding growing concerns over the U.S.-China trade conflict, "The U.S. is not trying to harm China, but to help it."

Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social that day, "Don't worry about China. Everything will be fine."

He added, "President Xi (Xi Jinping), who is highly respected, has just gone through a difficult moment. He doesn't want his country to go through a recession, and neither do I."

After China recently tightened its rare earth export controls, President Trump responded by announcing on the 10th that he would impose an additional 100% tariff on China starting November 1st.

The U.S. and China engaged in a 'tariff war' in April, imposing ultra-high tariffs of over 100% on each other, but then entered a lull with high-level negotiations. Concerns have been raised that the trade conflict between the two countries could fully escalate once again.

President Trump's remarks on this day are interpreted as a conciliatory gesture, suggesting that the conflict between the two countries may not worsen depending on China's future stance.

At the same time, it can be seen as a warning message that if China insists on rare earth export controls, the U.S. will take reciprocal measures, potentially leading to a recession in China's economy.

President Trump met with reporters aboard Air Force One (the presidential plane) on his way to Israel, stating, "I think we can do well with China. I have a good relationship with President Xi."

He added, "He is a very strong person, a very smart person, and an excellent leader of China."

When asked if he still plans to impose an additional 100% tariff on China starting November 1st, President Trump responded, "As of now, yes," but added, "We'll see what happens."

He also said, "November 1st feels like a very distant future to me. It may seem imminent to others, but November 1st feels like a distant future to me," suggesting that there is room for negotiation before the announced tariff imposition date.

Yonhap News