Mixed Messages Before U.S.-China Trade Talks
Chinese Vice Premier Liu He and a delegation will be in Washington, D.C. Jan. 30-31 to meet with U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and other top Trump administration economic officials to continue discussions on trade.
The two countries are about a month away from a self-imposed deadline to reach a bilateral agreement. If they do not reach a deal by early March, President Donald Trump has promised he will raise the tariff rate on $200 billion in Chinese good to 25 percent from 10 percent.
In interviews with the press last week, Secretary Ross said intellectual property rights and equal market access are the two top priorities on the United States’ list of issues to address. In an interview with CNBC, the secretary was candid, saying that, while there is a “fair chance” the two countries reach a deal, right now they are “miles and miles from getting a resolution.”