China reiterates US must lift all tariffs to end trade war, but Beijing open to partial interim deal, spokesman says

Ministry of Commerce confirms trade tensions will only end when ‘all additional tariffs’ are lifted from Chinese products

Negotiating teams are working on the ‘phase one’ deal agreed last week in Washington for Donald Trump and Xi Jinping to sign next month in Chile

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US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin (right) said on Wednesday that he and US trade representative Robert Lighthizer will likely meet Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He in Chile before the meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Photo: Reuters

Published: 6:30pm, 17 Oct 2019Updated: 11:13pm, 17 Oct 2019

China’s ultimate condition for ending the trade war with the United States is that Washington should lift all tariffs levied on Chinese products since July last year, although Beijing is still open to a partial trade deal under the current conditions, China’s Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.

"The ultimate goal for the negotiations between the two sides is to end the trade war, cancel all additional tariffs. This is good for China, good for the US and good for the whole world,” said ministry spokesman Gao Feng.

However, China is willing to reach a partial deal with the US that would include “progress in the direction of cancelling all tariffs” imposed during the the trade war, which has roiled the global economy for the last 15 months, Gao added.

Gao said that China will continue to increase purchases of US farm products as part of the “phase one” trade deal tentatively agreed during last week’s talks in Washington, with Gao also confirming that the negotiation teams from both sides have maintained “close communications” as they work towards finalising the partial deal.

This is expected to lead to US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping signing the deal at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Chile in the middle of November.