Trump claims he’s talking to Xi. China says no.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly asserted that communications with China are being made about his sweeping tariffs, but Beijing continues to deny the occurrence of such talks.

In a Time interview published Friday, Trump claimed that Chinese President Xi Jinping “called” him and that his administration has “made 200 deals” — without specifying involved countries — on tariffs. When asked to confirm that number, he responded “100%” and added that announcements would come “over the next three to four weeks.”

Trump has maintained this position despite questioning, telling reporters he has spoken with Xi “many times” but sidestepping when asked specifically about conversations since imposing tariffs. Earlier in the week, he signaled a potential retreat from his Chinese tariff, stating that the current 145% rate would “come down substantially,” though not to zero.

China, for its part, has repeatedly denied any communication with Washington. “China and the U.S. have not conducted consultations or negotiations on tariffs, let alone reached any agreement,” the Chinese Embassy in Washington said Saturday, calling such assertions “purely misleading.”

Previously, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun slammed Trump’s claims of active discussions as “false news.” The Ministry of Commerce echoed this position, adding that Trump should “abolish all unilateral tariffs on China to find a solution.”

The conflicting narratives have created confusion among officials and markets. Speaking to ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent admitted not knowing whether Trump has spoken with Xi and acknowledged that his own interactions with Chinese counterparts focused on “traditional things” such as financial stability and global economic early warnings.

Unsurprisingly, the trade tensions continue to impact the global economy. Last week, a German shipping group reported customers canceling 30% of China-to-U.S. shipments due to the dispute, while the International Monetary Fund has slashed growth forecasts for both nations.

With a loophole allowing tariff-free direct shipments from China to American consumers set to expire Friday, economic pressure on importers is expected to get worse.