The View | US-China trade war talks will be for nothing if they don’t take steps to rebuild trust
- Even if a deal is reached in the current round of negotiations, it won’t last if Beijing and Washington don’t make compromises and draw up clear rules for future interactions
The fate of US-China economic relations hangs in the balance leading up to the expected meeting between Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago in March or April. The damage of economic tensions has been felt on both sides: US exports to China have seen steep drops in recent months, including in grains, oil, liquefied gas and passenger vehicles.
Chances of a successful deal have increased after the most recent round of negotiations in Washington in mid-February. A deal between the US and China would be a desirable outcome that could help mitigate a longer-term rupture, but only if it sticks. For that to happen, China and the US will need more than just good negotiating skills – they will need a strategy to rebuild trust.
In my view, a few key steps are needed. First, we need to draw clear lines between national-security-relevant and purely commercial activities.
A modicum of “disengagement” can be managed with a reasonable understanding of where rational national security restrictions are necessary, preserving space for normal commerce. Surely US soybean farmers need not suffer due to US concerns about exports of dual-use technology.