China-US trade talks could resume soon, but Washington’s tariffs have to go, state media say
- Commentators say negotiations towards deal could be back on by end of July
- Welcome for renewal of soybean imports and call to spirit of self-reliance
China’s recent purchases of US agricultural products could signal the resumption soon of trade talks, Chinese state media said on Sunday, adding that the removal of all American tariffs on Chinese goods remains Beijing’s top priority.
US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, agreed late last month to restart discussions but since then officials from the world’s two biggest economies have only spoken by phone about “further consultations”.
However, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said face-to-face talks could follow.
Taoran Notes, a social media account affiliated with the official Economic Daily newspaper, echoed the optimism in a commentary on Sunday, saying the phone calls could lead to a resumption of negotiations soon “if there are no major changes in situation in recent times”.
It suggested that such negotiations could take place before the end of the month and before the August summer holiday period.
But the commentary said that a final deal would not be reached unless the US removed all the tariffs it had imposed since the start of the trade war.