ZCZC
BCN-19
US-CHINA-TRADE
China hopes for trade war solution at G20 Xi-Trump talks
BEIJING, Nov 23, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – China said Friday it hopes US President
Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping can find a solution to the trade
war when they meet at the G20 summit next week.
The talks in Argentina come as the two countries have failed to reach any
agreement to resolve a dispute that escalated after Trump slapped huge
tariffs on Chinese goods, prompting tit-for-tat responses.
“We hope that both sides can work together on the basis of mutual respect,
balance, honesty, and mutual benefit and finally find a solution to solve the
problem,” Wang Shouwen, Chinese vice minister of commerce, said at a press
briefing in Beijing.
Want said global trade faces a “complex situation”, with “unilateralism
and protectionism on the rise” creating uncertainty for economic development.
China hopes the G20 will uphold its backing of multilateralism at the
summit, which will take place from November 30 to December 1 in Buenos Aires.
Beijing also backs reform of the World Trade Organization to enhance its
authority and effectiveness, he said.
Trump said Thursday he was “very prepared” for the meeting with Xi.
Washington has threatened to toughen measures even further if the issue is
not resolved before January.
“China wants to make a deal. If we can make a deal, we will,” Trump said.
The United States has imposed punitive tariffs on Chinese goods worth $250
billion per year. In retaliation, China imposed tariffs on $110 billion of US
goods.
Earlier this month, Xi and Trump discussed the US-China trade conflict, as
well as North Korea’s nuclear programme, during a phone conversation that
Trump called “very good”.
Xi said he was “very happy” to talk to Trump again.
But tensions came to the fore again at an APEC summit last weekend, when
Xi and US Vice President Mike Pence delivered competing speeches criticising
each other’s trade and investment practices.
Xi lashed out at “America First” trade protectionism, while Pence warned
smaller countries not to be seduced by China’s massive Belt and Road
infrastructure programme.
BSS/AFP/HR/1300