In a closed-door exchange that has since reverberated far beyond the diplomatic halls of Geneva, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent disclosed that Chinese officials “openly admitted” to abandoning their trade commitments following the 2021 inauguration of President Joe Biden. The candid confession, revealed during a press conference Monday, paints a stark picture of how Beijing has sized up the current administration’s posture on trade — and decided it could be ignored.
Standing before a row of American flags, Bessent did not mince words. “The Chinese delegation basically told us that once President Biden came into office, they just ignored their obligations,” he said, referring to the multi-billion-dollar trade pact struck during President Trump’s first term. That agreement, once hailed as a landmark in U.S.-China economic diplomacy, has since withered under what critics describe as a policy of passive enforcement.
🚨 HOLY SMOKES: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent just revealed that the Chinese said during their closed-door talks that they IGNORED their trade commitments under Biden because they knew he was weak.
"The Chinese delegation basically told us that once President Biden came into… pic.twitter.com/vdJDoRUr4y
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) May 12, 2025
The implications extend far beyond one agreement. Biden officials repeatedly insisted their strategy aims to stabilize relations with Beijing while defending U.S. interests, even as the White House appeared to have personal financial connections to the CCP. But Bessent’s account suggests the opposite may be happening — that a lack of credible enforcement has invited defiance. The Chinese delegation’s remarks appear less a confession than a calculated flex: a message that the world’s second-largest economy no longer views American red lines as serious.
This admission comes just days before a 90-day tariff reduction takes effect — a temporary de-escalation negotiated by both sides, lowering duties to 10 percent beginning May 14, reported NBC News. Supporters hope the move will buy time for broader negotiations; skeptics warn it may reward bad behavior and erode American leverage. “What’s the point of cutting tariffs,” one senior GOP aide asked privately, “if the other side openly brags about breaking the deal?”
Bessent’s revelation has reignited debate over whether the Biden administration’s trade posture is marked more by diplomacy or drift. While some analysts defend the White House’s measured tone as necessary to avoid economic escalation, others argue that it has created precisely the conditions for exploitation — by signaling that violations will carry no consequence.
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