Trump sweeps away protocol to offer hope over trade war talks
- US president welcomes message from President Xi Jinping, and delivered by Vice-Premier Liu He, which highlights the friendly relationship enjoyed by the two leaders
It is difficult to envisage a deal to end the United States trade war with China that is not sealed face to face by their respective leaders. On that measure, prospects of an agreement before the March 1 deadline to avoid more US tariffs on Chinese exports shine brighter than at any time since the conflict broke out. After two days of talks between officials in Washington, a friendly exchange between President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump set a positive tone for closing the gap between the two sides. It also left no doubt that it will take at least one more summit between them.
After writing on Twitter that there would be no final deal until he met “my friend” Xi, Trump said in later remarks at the Oval Office that they may meet more than once to end a trade war entering its seventh month. In Beijing, official sources followed up a personal message from Xi to Trump by saying “constructive” talks would pave the way to a comprehensive deal that the two leaders directed and probably would finalise when they met. References to another summit sparked speculation around timing focused on Trump’s expected meeting with North Korea’s Kim Jong-un later this month. which could be extended to an Asian tour. Trump said it was “possible” he would combine the two trips.
In his message to Trump, delivered by vice-premier Liu He, Xi said he cherished their good working relations and personal friendship. China-US relations were at a critically important stage. “Our economic teams have made good progress”, he said, adding the hope that they would step up consultations by “meeting each other halfway”. Trump said the talks had made “tremendous” progress and he expected the two sides to reach a great deal. Words alone will not forge a breakthrough, but it has to be a good sign that the two leaders highlighted a friendly relationship, and the bruising conflict over Huawei Technologies was kept out of the talks
Each side, in its own words, painted a daunting picture of the issues that remain to be resolved. The White House said “intense and productive” negotiations had tackled a wide range of issues, including pressure on US companies to transfer technology to Chinese firms and the need for stronger protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights. Beijing also needed to address cybertheft and subsidies to state-owned enterprises.
Top American negotiators will continue talks in China later this month. But the man to watch is Trump, described by a senior US Chamber of Commerce official as more engaged in trade talks than any president since Bill Clinton in the lead-up to China’s entry into the World Trade Organisation. His brushing aside of diplomatic protocol to meet Liu – Xi’s chief negotiator – is evidence of that.