No invitation from China for US officials to travel to Beijing for more talks, Steven Mnuchin says
- Negotiators still have work to do on ‘phase one’ deal ahead of meeting between Trump and Xi Jinping in November, US Treasury secretary says
- Mnuchin says administration has not decided how to address planned tariffs on US$156 billion in Chinese goods expected to take effect on December 15
US and Chinese trade negotiators are working on nailing down a phase one trade deal text for their presidents to sign next month, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Wednesday, adding that he was prepared to travel to Beijing for more meetings if necessary.
Mnuchin, in a wide-ranging news conference at the Treasury, said that there was no invitation from Beijing for another high level meeting with Vice-Premier Liu He on the trade deal outlined last week, but deputies were holding phone conferences this week.
“As of now, there’s no invitation and there’s no plan” for a high-level meeting. “That doesn’t mean we won’t go,” he said.
Mnuchin said it was likely that he and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer would meet Liu in Santiago, Chile, before President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to meet at a November 16-17 summit of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation countries.
Mnuchin said the Trump administration’s “objective” was for the agreement to be signed at the Apec summit.
The Treasury chief, who has played a central role in the US-China trade negotiations, dismissed suggestions that China had not agreed with the United States on the substance of the initial phase outlined by Trump last Friday.
He also said the Trump administration has made no decision on how to address planned 10 per cent tariffs on US$156 billion of Chinese goods due to take effect on December 15 after opting not to proceed with a tariff rate increase slated for Tuesday.
China plays up purchases of US farm goods in positive spin on trade talks
“We have not gone to the president with any recommendation or any decision – obviously what we were all focused on was the October tariffs,” Mnuchin said.
“We’ll address that as we continue to have conversations.”
