John Ruich

And if Trump continues to raise tariffs on Chinese goods, it would be a, quote, joke. And China just wouldn't match them. Now, China is not going to roll over. Officials in Beijing said they will continue to protect their rights and interests. So perhaps it's a dual signal, you know, restraint on one hand on the tariffs, but also kind of a don't mess with us signal.

And if Trump continues to raise tariffs on Chinese goods, it would be a, quote, joke. And China just wouldn't match them. Now, China is not going to roll over. Officials in Beijing said they will continue to protect their rights and interests. So perhaps it's a dual signal, you know, restraint on one hand on the tariffs, but also kind of a don't mess with us signal.

Experts do say there does come a point, you know, when raising tariffs further just doesn't do anything. And these tariffs are already sky high. Victor Gao is with the Beijing based think tank, the Center for China and Globalization.

Experts do say there does come a point, you know, when raising tariffs further just doesn't do anything. And these tariffs are already sky high. Victor Gao is with the Beijing based think tank, the Center for China and Globalization.

Experts do say there does come a point, you know, when raising tariffs further just doesn't do anything. And these tariffs are already sky high. Victor Gao is with the Beijing based think tank, the Center for China and Globalization.

Well, there's a lot of confusion and caution now. Things have been moving at such a high speed. A few weeks ago, your colleague, Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep was here. He went to a city called Yiwu, which is famous for trading, and talked to a woman there named Nicole Zhang, who sells hairpins and claw clips for the hair. We caught up with her.

Well, there's a lot of confusion and caution now. Things have been moving at such a high speed. A few weeks ago, your colleague, Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep was here. He went to a city called Yiwu, which is famous for trading, and talked to a woman there named Nicole Zhang, who sells hairpins and claw clips for the hair. We caught up with her.

Well, there's a lot of confusion and caution now. Things have been moving at such a high speed. A few weeks ago, your colleague, Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep was here. He went to a city called Yiwu, which is famous for trading, and talked to a woman there named Nicole Zhang, who sells hairpins and claw clips for the hair. We caught up with her.

So she's saying that she had an order from February, which she previously told us was for Target. The deposit still hasn't been paid on that. Everybody's just waiting to see what happens. She's putting on a brave face, though. She thinks this whole thing is going to be temporary.

So she's saying that she had an order from February, which she previously told us was for Target. The deposit still hasn't been paid on that. Everybody's just waiting to see what happens. She's putting on a brave face, though. She thinks this whole thing is going to be temporary.

So she's saying that she had an order from February, which she previously told us was for Target. The deposit still hasn't been paid on that. Everybody's just waiting to see what happens. She's putting on a brave face, though. She thinks this whole thing is going to be temporary.

We don't. It's hard to imagine the world's top two economies not doing trade with each other. Trump says he's willing to talk and that China wants to do a deal but hasn't called him. China says it's open to talks, but they have to be conducted on the basis of mutual respect. And so it's unclear where things go from here. It doesn't seem like conditions are right for talks or a breakthrough.

We don't. It's hard to imagine the world's top two economies not doing trade with each other. Trump says he's willing to talk and that China wants to do a deal but hasn't called him. China says it's open to talks, but they have to be conducted on the basis of mutual respect. And so it's unclear where things go from here. It doesn't seem like conditions are right for talks or a breakthrough.

We don't. It's hard to imagine the world's top two economies not doing trade with each other. Trump says he's willing to talk and that China wants to do a deal but hasn't called him. China says it's open to talks, but they have to be conducted on the basis of mutual respect. And so it's unclear where things go from here. It doesn't seem like conditions are right for talks or a breakthrough.

Maybe it'll take some economic pain from these tariffs before either side decides they want to get together and have these conversations.

Maybe it'll take some economic pain from these tariffs before either side decides they want to get together and have these conversations.

Maybe it'll take some economic pain from these tariffs before either side decides they want to get together and have these conversations.

The origins of the modern civil service. Listen to ThruLine wherever you get your podcasts.

The origins of the modern civil service. Listen to ThruLine wherever you get your podcasts.

The origins of the modern civil service. Listen to ThruLine wherever you get your podcasts.