Both the United States and China have hailed their progress made during their trade talks, held between two nations in Washington on January 30 and 31, with China’s Beijing pointing that “important progress” has been made in “frank discussions”.
The Chinese delegation which was led by vice-premier Liu He told Xinhua News Agency: “Frank, concrete and constructive discussion have made important progress. The two sides have clarified the timetable and road map for the next consultations.”
Washington has also echoed similar sentiment and stance, with the US President Donald Trump indicating might holding the meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in the month of February when he will be in Asia for his second historic summit with his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong-Un.
Furthermost, in “early February”, the US trade representatives Robert Lighthizer will conduct an official visit to Beijing along with US treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin in order to resume negotiation with Liu.
In the Oval Office meeting with the Chinese delegations on Thursday, Trump announced that “I know that I’ll be meeting President Xi, maybe once and maybe twice”. Liu handed over a letter to the US president which was sent by Xi, at the White House.
According to a statement released by the White House, Trump, while describing the letter as “beautiful”, read out the whole content to the presented delegations gathered in the White House including secretary of state Mike Pompeo.
In the letter, Xi wrote: “As I often say, I feel we have known each other for a long time, ever since we first met. I cherish the good working relations and personal friendship with you. I enjoy our meeting and phone calls, in which we could talk about anything.”
On Thursday, Trump has, in a tweet, wrote: “No final deal will be made until my friend President Xi, and I, meet in the near future to discuss and agree on some of the long-standing and more difficult points. Very comprehensive transaction ….”
….meeting with their top leaders and representatives today in the Oval Office. No final deal will be made until my friend President Xi, and I, meet in the near future to discuss and agree on some of the long standing and more difficult points. Very comprehensive transaction….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 31, 2019
In another tweet, Trump wrote: “… China’s representatives and I are trying to do a complete deal, leaving NOTHING unresolved on the table. All of the many problems are being discussed and will be hopefully resolved. Tariffs on China increase to 25% on March 1st, so all working hard to complete by that date!”
….China’s representatives and I are trying to do a complete deal, leaving NOTHING unresolved on the table. All of the many problems are being discussed and will be hopefully resolved. Tariffs on China increase to 25% on March 1st, so all working hard to complete by that date!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 31, 2019
However, Trump cleared it out that a deal, without meeting Xi, would be “unacceptable”.
The meeting between two sides is a part of their agreement of a “temporary truce” marked by both country’s leaders during their meet in December 2018 on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Argentina.