WASHINGTON (BLOOMBERG) — President Donald Trump planned to meet with members of his trade team on Saturday (Feb 16) for an update on ongoing talks with China, the White House said..
WASHINGTON (BLOOMBERG) — President Donald Trump planned to meet with members of his trade team on Saturday (Feb 16) for an update on ongoing talks with China, the White House said.
The meeting came as US and China send signals they may reach a deal or extend talks to end their trade war, easing fears that the Trump administration will ratchet up tariffs when a key deadline arrives in two weeks.
Investors on Friday cheered signs that the trade war between the world’s two largest economies is not escalating, with US equities climbing.
White House spokesman Sarah Huckabee Sanders named 10 officials who would participate in Saturday’s meeting, either in person in Florida, where the president is spending the weekend, or by phone.
The attendees included US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, along with Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, White House economic director Larry Kudlow, acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and others.
Mr Trump on Friday hailed progress made in negotiations this week in Beijing attended by Mr Mnuchin and Mr Lighthizer. The two countries said they are working towards a preliminary written agreement, and will continue discussions in Washington next week.
The US has threatened to more than double tariffs on US$200 billion (S$271 billion) of Chinese goods if there is no deal by March 1.
