Donald Trump appears to have scored a major victory with China reportedly signalling pre-conditions for trade talks with the US. A person said to be familiar with Beijing’s thinking has said China wants the Trump administration to rein in rude remarks made by members of Mr Trump’s Cabinet.

A source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Bloomberg: “There is a bit more clarity on what China is looking [for] – respect, consistency and a point person. So now the ball is in US court on whether they can meet these demands. But that is still difficult — especially if the aim is to contain China’s rise.” China faces eye-watering 145% taxes on exports to the US, while the Trump administration gave dozens of other countries a 90-day reprieve for most duties after bond and stock markets reacted to his tariffs plan with turmoil. Beijing has hit back at Washington with huge 125% tariffs on American exports, while stressing its determination to keep its own markets open to trade and investment.

The most important pre-condition, according to Bloomberg’s source, is for China to be treated with respect by the Trump administration. It comes after US Vice President JD Vance said the US borrows money from “Chinese peasants” to buy the things “Chinese peasants” manufacture, criticising the approach for failing to generate economic prosperity in the United States.

His comments led Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Lin Jian, to describe Mr Vance’s remarks as “ignorant and disrespectful” in a rare public rebuke of a top US leader from Beijing.

Asked about the possibility of talks with the US, Mr Lin said the US had begun the tariff row and China was only taking “necessary countermeasures” to defend its rights and interests.

He told a daily briefing: “If the US truly wants to resolve the issue through dialogue and negotiation, it should stop using maximum pressure and stop threats and blackmail. For any dialogue to happen, it must be based on equality, respect and mutual benefit.”

News of China’s possible overtures towards the US come as Beijing appointed a new trade negotiator and announced its economy expanded 5.4% in the first quarter of the year, boosted by strong exports.

Analysts forecast the world’s second largest economy will slow significantly in the coming months, however, as the tariffs on US imports from China take effect.

Chinese officials have also said the country has multiple options to respond to American actions, including relying more on its own vast market of 1.4 billion consumers, on Europe and countries in the global south.

Li Chenggang replaces Wang Shouwen as China’s new trade negotiator. He spent over four years as China’s ambassador to the World Trade Organisation, to which Beijing has appealed in its trade war with the US.

Mr Trump said on Tuesday “the ball is in China’s court”. In a statement dictated by the US leader delivered by his White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, Mr Trump said: “China needs to make a deal with us. We don’t have to make a deal with them.”

The statement added: “There’s no difference between China and any other country except they are much larger, and China wants what we have, what every country wants, what we have — the American consumer — or to put another way, they need our money.”

Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping is on a charm offensive in southeast Asia, telling countries China is a source of stability in global free trade.

Mr Xi has visited Vietnam, is currently in Malaysia and will end his tour with a stop in Cambodia. He has so far promised Malaysia and Vietnam greater access to Chinese markets.

The three countries were among those set for the highest US tariffs before Mr Trump announced a 90 day pause. Vietnam would have faced tariffs up to 46%, Malaysia 24% and Cambodia 49% had the pause not been brought in.