U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday the United States was very close to a tariff deal with Japan. Trump spoke to reporters as he left the White House to travel to Rome for Pope Francis' funeral.

President Donald Trump said he has not backed down on the 145% tariff on China and said reciprocal tariffs on other nations could resume within weeks.

An American business group said that Chinese officials had been surveying companies about American products that are crucial to their supply chains.

China has exempted some U.S. imports from its 125% tariffs and is asking firms to identify critical goods they need levy-free, according to businesses notified, in the clearest sign yet of Beijing's concerns about the trade war's economic fallout.

Levies on certain U.S.-made microchips have been dropped, importers say. Meanwhile, China has denied President Trump’s claims that talks to reduce tariffs are happening.