Carrie Lam says she is not optimistic any trade deal between the US and China will last
- Speaking at Davos, Hong Kong’s chief executive says more fundamental problems could be undermining relations between the two countries
- Lam also expects 2019 to be a difficult year for the global economy
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has said that she is not optimistic that any trade deal between the United States and China will be a lasting one.
Speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, the chief executive also voiced concern that Hong Kong would continue to be affected by the trade tensions between the two countries.
China and the US are more than halfway through a 90-day trade war truce. Washington has said it will go ahead with a threat to increase duties if an agreement is not reached by March 1.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Lam was asked whether she is optimistic that the two governments can strike a lasting deal.
“I am a bit prudent and conservative. I think and I hope something positive would come up in the latest round … But I am not too optimistic about a lasting deal,” she said.
Lam explained that in recent interactions with US officials and businessmen, she has had a general feeling that the problem was not one that recently surfaced because of trade deficits.