China says U. S. envoys are expected in Beijing on Monday for talks on the trade fight.
American envoys are due in Beijing for talks Monday in a tariff battle over Chinese technology ambitions. The trade war is currently in a temporary truce, but should that change the economic fallout threatens to hobble global economic growth.
The two days of meetings are aimed at carrying out the December 1 truce by Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping that postponed additional tariff hikes, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced Friday. It said the American delegation will be led by the deputy U. S. trade representative, Jeffrey Gerrish, but offered no other details.
The talks are going ahead despite tension over the arrest of a Chinese tech executive — Huawei’s chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou — in Canada on U. S. charges related to possible violations of trade sanctions on Iran. Despite anger from Beijing over Meng’s arrest, Chinese officials have repeatedly signaled their desire to keep that issue from affecting trade talks.
The U. S. and Chinese governments both have expressed interest in a trade settlement but give no indication their stances have shifted.
They hope to have “positive and constructive discussions,” said a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Lu Kang.
The clash reflects American anxiety about China’s emergence as a competitor in telecoms, solar power, and other technologies and complaints by Washington, Europe, and other trading partners that Beijing’s tactics violate its market-opening obligations.
Trump wants Beijing to roll back initiatives including “Made in China 2025,” which calls for state-led creation of champions in robotics, artificial intelligence, and other fields. American officials worry those might erode U. S. industrial leadership, and complain that China’s technological prowess is underpinned by the theft of intellectual property from U. S. firms.
China’s leaders have offered to narrow its politically sensitive trade surplus with the United States by purchasing more soybeans, natural gas, and other American exports.
