President Donald Trump warned that the United States could cut trade ties with China over cooking oil imports, calling Beijing’s reduced purchases of American soybeans an act of economic hostility. The statement added a fresh layer of friction to an already strained relationship between the world’s two largest economies.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer confirmed on Tuesday that staff-level talks had taken place in Washington but described them as inconclusive. Chinese officials, he said, gave conflicting explanations for recent curbs on mineral exports. Greer noted that it remained “up to China” whether the planned 100% tariffs on its exports would take effect on November 1, suggesting that Beijing’s next move could determine the direction of trade policy in the coming weeks.

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