Trump agrees to 2-week tariff increase delay at China’s request

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump says the United States has agreed to a two-week delay in a planned increase in tariffs on some Chinese imports.

Trump said on Twitter on Wednesday that the delay is “a gesture of good will.”

....on October 1st, we have agreed, as a gesture of good will, to move the increased Tariffs on 250 Billion Dollars worth of goods (25% to 30%), from October 1st to October 15th.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 11, 2019

He says Chinese Vice Premier Liu He requested the delay “due to the fact that the People’s Republic of China will be celebrating their 70th Anniversary … on October 1st.”

Trump has imposed or announced penalties on about $550 billion of Chinese products, or almost everything the United States buys from China. Tariffs of 25% that were imposed previously on $250 billion worth of Chinese goods were due to rise to 30% on Oct. 1.

Instead, Trump says, that will be delayed until Oct. 15.