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China raised tariffs on U.S. goods to 125% on April 11, 2025, according to Reuters. The increase came amid sharply conflicting public accounts about whether President Xi Jinping had spoken with President Donald Trump and who was expected to initiate a call. The 125% figure describes that April 2025 moment; it is not a current, product-by-product tariff rate.
What China changed on April 11, 2025
China raised tariffs on U.S. goods to 125%, Reuters reported, attributing the decision to China’s Finance Ministry. The ministry also dismissed the U.S. tariff strategy as “a joke,” according to Reuters. The rate is a historical figure tied to the increase announced on April 11, 2025, not a rate that should be assumed to apply today to every U.S. product entering China.
Did Xi call Trump?
The public accounts conflict, and the available reporting does not establish whether a private call occurred. Trump told TIME that Xi had called him and said he would not call Xi, Reuters reported. Trump characterized a possible outcome as “Total victory.” Reuters also noted that Beijing disputed the U.S. characterization of talks. Reuters’ account of the TIME interview records Trump’s claim, not independent confirmation that a call took place.
China’s Foreign Ministry denied recent contact
On April 28, 2025, China’s Foreign Ministry said Xi had not recently spoken with Trump and said the two administrations were not trying to strike a tariff deal, Reuters reported. That statement directly contradicted Trump’s account as reported by Reuters. Reuters’ report on the ministry’s statement attributes the denial to China; it does not resolve the competing claim.
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An unnamed U.S. official said Washington sought a call request
In a separate April 13 report, Reuters quoted an unnamed Trump administration official saying U.S. officials had repeatedly asked Chinese diplomats whether Xi would request a call. The official said “the answer has consistently been ‘no.’” Because the source was unnamed and the account was reported through Reuters, it should be treated as an attributed account—not as a public record naming the officials involved. Reuters’ report on the alleged requests does not establish whether Xi separately spoke to Trump.
Why the call mattered in the tariff dispute
The call became part of the public contest over how negotiations were—or were not—proceeding. Trump’s statement suggested direct leader-level contact; China’s Foreign Ministry denied recent contact and denied that the governments were seeking a tariff deal. The unnamed U.S. official’s account framed the issue differently: Washington had asked whether Xi would request a call, and the answer was reportedly no. These are distinct claims about contact, negotiations, and who might initiate a conversation, so one does not by itself prove or disprove the others.
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What changed after the April 2025 escalation
A September 2026 White House fact sheet described recommendations for more favorable tariff treatment for $30 billion of non-sensitive goods in each direction. That is a later administration statement about recommendations; it is not evidence that all recommendations were implemented or that $30 billion in trade received a particular realized tariff rate. The White House fact sheet postdates the April 2025 events and should be read as subsequent context, not as proof of what was in force then.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the 125% figure means for readers now
The April 11, 2025 rate does not answer what tariff applies to a particular shipment today. Tariff treatment can depend on the product and the effective date of the applicable measure. The sources cited here do not establish a complete current tariff schedule by product, so importers should not use the 125% historical figure as current customs or budgeting advice.
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