Trump started hiking tariffs on Chinese goods shortly after his return to the White House. China ultimately responded with tariffs of its own. Tensions escalated, with tariff rates hitting the triple digits, before a trade truce in May.

Chinese and American trade negotiators concluded their two-day meeting in Stockholm without a clear path forward to avert tariffs from skyrocketing back to ultra-high levels that formed an effective blockade on trade between the world’s two largest economies.

After a “constructive” round of talks ahead of an Aug. 12 deadline, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, “Nothing is agreed until we speak with President Trump.”