Trump halts Canada and Mexico tariffs, China still targeted

U.S. President Donald Trump delayed the start of tariffs on neighboring Mexico and Canada for a month on Monday, but China remained in the firing line for levies that are putting the global economy on edge.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau both struck last-minute deals with Trump to tighten border measures against the flow of migrants and the drug fentanyl into the United States.

Global stock markets had slumped as Trump's threat of sweeping 25 percent levies on exports from Canada and Mexico to the United States sparked fears of a global trade war.

Trump said that after "very friendly" talks with Sheinbaum, he would "immediately pause" the tariffs on Mexico and that his counterpart had agreed to send 10,000 troops to the U.S.-Mexico frontier.

Tensions appeared higher between the United States and Canada -- but after two calls with Trudeau, Trump said on Truth Social that Canada had "agreed to ensure we have a secure Northern Border, and to finally end the deadly scourge of drugs like Fentanyl."

Trudeau said Canada would deploy nearly 10,000 frontline officers to help secure the border, list drug cartels as terrorists, appoint a "Fentanyl Czar" and crack down on money laundering.

AFP