China and US face two more rounds of talks if they want to end trade war before March 1 deadline
- Diplomats and observers say both sides will need more talks after the latest round of negotiations finishes in Washington this week
- Even if the two sides reach a deal to prevent tariff increases after March 1 deadline, further talks may be needed to reach a final deal
China and the United States are expected to hold one or two more rounds of trade talks to map out a plan to end to their tariff war before the March 1 deadline, according to a diplomatic source and observers.
The assessment came as representatives from both nations in Washington were due to start two days of negotiations on Wednesday, where China was expected to respond to a series of demands made by the US in a previous round of talks in early January.
The Chinese delegation led by Vice-Premier Liu He arrived in Washington on Tuesday, where the delegation held an internal preparatory meeting.
Negotiations with the US delegations – headed by US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin – were expected to last all day on Wednesday, ending with a dinner. The negotiations are expected to be wrapped up on Thursday afternoon, according to a source familiar with the arrangement.
Both sides have agreed on a March 1 deadline for the current round of negotiations, following talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump in Argentina at the start of December.