China has ruled out joining denuclearization talks with the United States and Russia. On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump said: “I think the denuclearization is a very – it’s a big aim. But Russia’s willing to do it, and I think China is going to be willing to do it too.” On Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun responded: “China’s nuclear strength is by no means on the same level as that of the U.S. Our nuclear policy and strategic security environment are also completely different. It’s neither reasonable nor realistic to ask China to join the nuclear disarmament negotiations with the U.S. and Russia. He also called on “the country sitting on the world’s biggest nuclear arsenal” to lead the effort. (CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY)
The Mexican government will reportedly announce additional tariffs on Chinese imports as part of its 2026 budget proposal to be submitted next month. The duties on cars, textiles, and plastics are supposed to shield Mexican domestic producers but will also accede to a long-time demand from U.S. President Donald Trump. In response, Mexican officials raised the concept of “Fortress North America”, where North American producers trade with each other while excluding Chinese goods, a concept that suffered as Trump piled tariffs on Canada. Other Asian exporters will reportedly also face higher tariffs. The draft proposal will be submitted by September 8. (BLOOMBERG)
