Obstacles remain in securing trade peace after US-China talks
- Negotiators went the extra mile to avoid failure and, although the same issues remain, there is sharper focus on what needs to be done – but verification may yet prove a stumbling block
Chinese and American negotiators had to go the extra mile to avoid failure in their latest talks to end the trade war. Otherwise the differences between them were too many and too wide and they have failed to narrow them too often.
The relatively low vice-ministerial level of the delegations did not hold out much hope. But halfway through a 90-day truce struck by presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump before the United States imposes more threatened tariffs, the need to at least forge a basis for progress was paramount.
On that test the talks can be counted a success. An early indication was that the scheduled two days of talks became three. This reflected sincerity in seeking a result and showed discussion had gone into detailed issues.
Even before that, the surprise appearance at the start by China’s top trade negotiator Liu He sent a clear message: the Chinese side was taking the meeting very seriously ahead of his expected visit to the US later this month for more substantive talks.
The issues between the two sides remain the same, but this week’s talks have sharpened the focus. The joint statement issued afterwards showed both sides felt they had achieved progress.
US negotiators pursued a number of grievances that come under the heading of structural economic problems, from forced technology transfer to intellectual property protection to non-tariff barriers to cyber intrusion and theft of trade secrets.