China’s vice-premier Liu He ‘likely’ to visit Washington at end of January to continue trade war talks
- US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin expects China’s top trade negotiator to visit the United States following this week’s talks with mid-level officials in Beijing
- American President Donald Trump said the United States was having ‘tremendous success in its trade negotiations with China
US officials expect China’s top trade negotiator to visit Washington later this month, signalling that higher-level discussions are likely to follow this week’s talks with mid-level officials in Beijing.
“The current intent is that the vice-premier Liu He will most likely come and visit us later in the month and I would expect the government shutdown would have no impact,” said US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said.
“We will continue with those meetings just as we sent a delegation to China.”
The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg reported that the talks involving Mnuchin and US trade representative Robert Lighthizer would take place on January 30 and 31.
The US government is in the 20th day of a partial shutdown with President Donald Trump, a Republican, and congressional Democrats feuding over funding and Trump’s desire for a wall on the US-Mexico border.
People familiar with the talks in Beijing said that hopes were mounting that Liu would continue talks with US trade representative Robert Lighthizer and Mnuchin.