China-US Tariff Truce Prompts Some Nations to Shift Tactics (1)

China’s defiant stance in negotiating a tariff truce with the US has convinced some countries they need to take a tougher position in their own trade talks with the Trump administration.

The pause reached a week ago gave structure to what promise to be prolonged and difficult rounds of talks between Washington and Beijing, which still faces average US import taxes near 50% when past levies are factored into the 30% rate agreed to in Geneva, Switzerland.

Yet US President Donald Trump’s willingness to retreat so much from the earlier 145% duty on China surprised governments from Seoul to ...