Trump's tariffs major test for Xi's leadership: Burns

The US’ high tariffs on China will be a major test for President Xi Jinping’s leadership amid the economic slowdown while the Trump administration’s levies on Beijing could be far more effective if the US takes allies along, former US ambassador to China Nicholas Burns has said.

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“The tariff war with the US will be a major test for Xi Jinping simply because the Chinese economy has not performed well in the last few years. Their GDP growth rate is slowing down,” Burns told BBC on Friday. “I don’t think the Chinese government wants to have a sustained trade war. They want to get a trade deal with the United States,” said Burns, who was appointed by fo