BEIJING/WASHINGTON: China and the United States have agreed to hold more trade talks in Beijing, Vice Premier Liu He said, as US President Donald Trump ordered his trade chief to begin the process of imposing tariffs on all remaining imports from China.
Liu voiced a measured optimism on reaching a deal, but said there were “issues of principle” on which China would not back down.
The United States escalated a tariff war with China on Friday by hiking levies on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods in the midst of last-ditch talks to rescue a trade deal. Trump issued orders for the tariff increase, saying China “broke the deal” by reneging on earlier commitments made during months of negotiations.
“Negotiations have not broken down,” Liu, China’s chief negotiator in the talks, said, according to state television.
“Quite the opposite, I think small setbacks are normal and inevitable during the negotiations of both countries. Looking forward, we are still cautiously optimistic,” Liu said.
(Agencies)
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