President Donald Trump has hinted at easing his aggressive trade stance with China, suggesting a significant reduction in the steep tariffs on Chinese imports amid ongoing market turbulence.Speaking at a White House press briefing on Tuesday, Trump indicated that the current tariffs, which have soared past 145%, will be scaled back considerably, though not eliminated entirely.During a Q&A with journalists in the Oval Office, Trump acknowledged, “145% is excessive, and we won’t keep it at that level. It’ll drop substantially, but it won’t be zero.” His comments signal a potential softening of the hardline rhetoric that has defined the escalating trade conflict, characterised by retaliatory tariff hikes between the two nations.Trump’s remarks followed treasury secretary Scott Bessent’s statements at a JP Morgan Chase investment conference, where he described the trade war as unsustainable and predicted a de-escalation soon. Bessent emphasised a goal of rebalancing trade rather than severing ties with China.On Tuesday, Trump reiterated his desire for negotiations, promising a cordial approach. “We’ll be very friendly, and I think they will be too,” he said. “They’ll need to make a deal, or they won’t have access to the US market.”New data from project44 shows blank containership sailings from China have increased by 100% to the US east coast and 31% to the US west coast since new tariffs began in early February.