Finance ministers and central bank chiefs gathered in Washington, D.C. this week for the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, originally expected to focus on the global economy’s resilience amid recent financial and geopolitical shocks. However, the agenda quickly shifted following renewed trade tensions between the United States and China, sparked by President Donald Trump’s latest threat to impose 100 per cent tariffs on Chinese imports, according to Reuters.
The announcement unsettled global markets, reviving fears of a renewed trade war between the world’s two largest economies. The tension overshadowed the Washington meetings, which typically attract more than 10,000 participants from over 190 countries, including finance ministers, central bankers, investors, and policymakers. Now, much of the discussion is expected to centre on the potential economic fallout of the escalating dispute and its implications for global trade and growth.
Trump’s declaration came after Beijing expanded its export controls on rare earth minerals, key materials used in electronics, renewable energy, and defence technologies. In response, Trump vowed retaliatory tariffs and additional export restrictions set to take effect on November 1, a move analysts warn could unravel the fragile trade truce that had earlier eased tensions between Washington and Beijing. That truce had led to lowered tariffs and slightly improved global growth projections earlier in the year.
Seeking to calm financial markets and reassure global partners, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday expressed optimism that diplomatic engagement between both sides would continue. Speaking to Fox Business Network, Bessent confirmed that a planned meeting between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping would likely still take place later this month in South Korea, alongside staff-level talks scheduled on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank meetings.
“The 100 per cent tariff does not have to happen,” Bessent said. “The relationship, despite this announcement, remains constructive. Lines of communication have reopened, so we’ll see where it goes.”
Bessent’s remarks helped restore some investor confidence after a steep sell-off on Friday, when Trump’s tariff announcement sent global equities tumbling. On Monday, the Nasdaq Composite Index rebounded more than two per cent, supported by optimism that trade talks could resume. Still, concerns lingered among analysts that escalating U.S.-China tensions could disrupt global supply chains and derail growth, particularly in emerging markets heavily dependent on trade with both nations.
Meanwhile, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva sought to strike a balanced tone in her remarks ahead of the meetings. She praised the global economy’s “remarkable resilience” in navigating a challenging environment marked by trade disputes, tight monetary policies, and slowing job creation in advanced economies. However, she cautioned that the overall outlook remains fragile, with “downside risks dominating the forecast.”
According to Reuters, the IMF’s forthcoming World Economic Outlook report,set for release later this week,is expected to project global GDP growth of around three per cent for 2025, only marginally below 2024 levels. Despite this, economists warn that prolonged trade hostilities could dampen investor sentiment, weaken manufacturing output, and further strain the world economy already grappling with inflationary pressures and slowing productivity.
As the IMF and World Bank meetings continue, much of the world’s attention remains fixed on Washington, where the evolving U.S.-China trade drama threatens to redefine the tone and direction of global economic policy discussions.
