The next step? After US-China trade talks fail, Trump and Xi ‘may need to get involved’
To avoid more rounds of threatened sanctions, analysts suggest that the two nations’ leaders must resolve the toughest issues
China and the United States may be plunged into another round of trade sanction threats after high-level talks between trade representatives failed to secure any breakthroughs, and it will be up to negotiations between the two nations’ top leaders to resolve the deep rifts, Chinese analysts said.
Led by US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He, the talks were held over less than 48 hours in Beijing and resulted in the two nations agreeing to have more dialogue, but no other tangible achievements.
The Chinese government only released a brief statement wrapping up the trade talks on Friday, calling the negotiations “candid and efficient” – diplomatic language meaning that they were heated and short. A statement from the White House also described the discussions as “frank”.
The White House characterised its negotiating position as generous because of US President Donald Trump’s respect for Chinese President Xi Jinping, and called for “immediate attention” to the trade imbalances, saying that Trump would resolve the issue “one way or the other”.
Documents prepared by the two governments ahead of the talks, reviewed by the South China Morning Post, reflected the deep divisions between the nations.