Chinese envoy’s lips zipped on trade war talks as United States turns attention to Canada, Mexico and Europe
Vice commerce minister steps back into the limelight but not to illuminate the details of delegation’s discussions in Washington
The head of Beijing’s trade talks delegation to Washington last week has avoided all mention of the trade war or his US trip in his first public appearance back in China.
In a press conference on Wednesday to promote an international trade and investment fair in the Chinese city of Xiamen next month, vice commerce minister Wang Shouwen focused on the annual expo and China’s good track record in luring foreign investment.
All of the questions Wang fielded were from mainland Chinese media and none were about the trade war.
Wang’s silence contrasted with public comments by US officials. On Tuesday US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin set out the Trump administration’s priorities on trade negotiations, saying further talks with China are unlikely until trade issues with Mexico, Canada and Europe are resolved.
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“We’ve put [Washington’s foreign trade objectives] in three categories: the first was really [the North American Free Trade Agreement, or Nafta]; the second is dealing with the EU, which we are making progress on; and the third is China,” Mnuchin said in an interview with CNBC.