Trade war truce deadline played down by China media on eve of latest round of talks in Beijing
- Opinion piece says the March 1 deadline agreed by China’s President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump is a ‘media topic’ set by the American side
- US trade representative Jeffrey Gerrish is leading discussions between sub-minister level officials starting on Monday
The March 1 deadline for trade negotiations between China and the United States is a “media topic created by the US side” and it could be extended to a later date such as May 1, said an opinion piece posted by a number of Chinese official media outlets on the eve of the latest round of trade talks between Beijing and Washington.
The opinion piece, which was first published on a social media account, Taoran Notes, on WeChat on Sunday, is not a direct statement from the Chinese government, but it was quickly picked up by a wide range of state media, including the social media outlets of the official People’s Daily and Beijing Daily, suggesting support for the argument.
“People focus on whether China and US can reach a deal or an understanding over trade before March 1,” the opinion piece said.
“But in fact, people may have fallen into an ‘agenda setting’ trap by the US.
“The idea of a March 1 deadline actually offers a cover for Sino-US trade talks. The real issue is not the time limit but whether China and US can reach a deal.
“If the talks go well but the two sides can’t reach a deal on technical details, then it can be postponed for another two months – for instance, it should be fine if it’s extended to May 1.”