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Wednesday, 15 May 2019 01:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Beijing/Washington (Reuters): China and the United States have agreed to keep talking about their trade dispute, the Chinese government said on Tuesday, as US President Donald Trump said he thought recent discussions in Beijing would be successful.
The slightly more optimistic comments came after both sides ramped up their trade war, with China announcing details of new tariffs against US imports on Monday, following the United States’ move last week to target Chinese imports.
The US Trade Representative’s office said it planned to hold a public hearing next month on the possibility of imposing duties of up to 25% on a further $300 billion worth of imports from China. Cellphones and laptops would be included in that list but pharmaceuticals would be excluded, the office said.
The prospect of global economy being derailed by the United States and China sliding into a fiercer, more protracted dispute has rattled investors and led to a sharp selloff on equities markets in the past week.
“My understanding is that China and the United States have agreed to continue pursuing relevant discussions. As for how they are pursued, I think that hinges upon further consultations between the two sides,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a daily news briefing, without giving details.
But China will not be bullied, he added. “We hope that the US side does not misjudge the situation and not underestimate China’s determination and will to safeguard its interests.”
Sources have said talks stalled after China tried to delete commitments from a draft agreement that its laws would be changed to enact new policies on issues from intellectual property protection to forced technology transfers.
Geng said China had shown sincerity by still sending a high level delegation to the United States for talks last week and that China has remained calm in the face of pressure. He put the blame on Washington for going back on its word in some previous rounds of talks, including last May, when the two reached an agreement in Washington but then the United States backed out a few days later.
