China’s foreign ministry on Wednesday urged Washington to engage in discussions on trade. “What is needed now is not unilateral, additional tariffs but dialogue and consultation based on equality and mutual respect,

Uncertainty about when – or whether – the two will speak could reflect their different approach to the US-China relationship.

President Xi Jinping may also see a bigger opportunity here. Trump is sowing division in his own backyard, threatening to hit even the European Union (EU) with tariffs - all in his first month in office. His actions may have other US allies wondering what is in store for them.