Comments 1 - 36 of 36 Search these comments
Beijing (AFP) - China said Tuesday its top trade negotiator will visit the United States for talks with American counterparts this week even as Washington stepped up pressure with plans to hike tariffs and complaints that Beijing was backtracking on its commitments.
The commerce ministry confirmed in a brief statement that Vice Premier Liu He, President Xi Jinping's trade pointman, would visit the US on Thursday and Friday.
The trip is taking place a day later than expected after President Donald Trump jolted global markets by announcing that tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese merchandise will more than double to 25 percent on Friday.
"China always believes that mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit are the premise and the basis for reaching an agreement. Adding tariffs will not solve any problem," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a regular press briefing.
Confirmation of Liu's travel plans lifted Asian stock markets as his presence could raise hopes that a deal is still possible.
The tariffs announcement tanked stock markets worldwide on Monday and worried US farmers and businesses who have been banking on a resolution to the year-long conflict that has engulfed $360 billion in two-way trade.
US officials had said the world's two largest economies were close to an agreement but Beijing reversed course in recent days.
"Over the course of the last week or so, we've seen an erosion in commitments by China, I would say retreating from commitments that have already been made in our judgement," US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer was quoted as saying in media reports on Monday.
He said the tariffs would increase at 12:01 am (0401 GMT) on Friday.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin described the negotiations as 90 percent complete but told reporters that in recent days the talks went "substantially backward", according to the media reports.
What a fucking idiot, Trump thinks China is paying the tariffs, totally incompetent and a nincompoop to boot. FYI genius, tariffs are paid by the buyer.
They are but they can make sense to stem trade imbalances and protect local manufacturing
What a fucking idiot, Trump thinks China is paying the tariffs, totally incompetent and a nincompoop to boot. FYI genius, tariffs are paid by the buyer.
What a fucking idiot, Trump thinks China is paying the tariffs, totally incompetent and a nincompoop to boot. FYI genius, tariffs are paid by the buyer.
I think China is just stalling and hoping Trump will lose in 2020. Then they can go back to business as usual.
SunnyvaleCA saysYes, exactly.I think China is just stalling and hoping Trump will lose in 2020. Then they can go back to business as usual.
Yeah, like the open corruption of Joe Biden & Family?
Pliant psychopaths like the Clintons who are willing to sell out the country for emoluments and personal grandiosity are our China preferred politicians.
China will soon have the largest market on earth. US companies like Apple will beg to be able to sell there, regardless of cost to them.
China will soon have the largest market on earth. US companies like Apple will beg to be able to sell there, regardless of cost to them. If they don't, large Chinese competitors will appear, with a larger base, and US companies won't hold to market positions.
Losing position, regardless of tariffs.
China will just steamroll the world now, just based on size.
China will soon have the largest market on earth. US companies like Apple will beg to be able to sell there, regardless of cost to them. If they don't, large Chinese competitors will appear, with a larger base, and US companies won't hold to market positions.
bad news if your life revolves around Shitting on Trump.
Guys, this is a bipartisan policy, not just Trump's
THANK you! So many folks on here and in general believe myths otherwise. They thus don't realize that the screams of those impacted by the trade war (soybean farmers, for example) are those of just a narrow special interest group as a percentage of GDP.
...completely avoided if you buy from a non-Tariffed Country, or you buy the product inside the USA (the best idea). That’s Zero Tariffs. Many Tariffed companies will be leaving China for Vietnam and other such countries in Asia. That’s why China wants to make a deal so badly!...— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 13, 2019
60 billion, china is going to run out of things to tariff long before we do they can fuck off. We export 1 billion for every 5 we import, China will loose.
...completely avoided if you buy from a non-Tariffed Country, or you buy the product inside the USA (the best idea). That’s Zero Tariffs. Many Tariffed companies will be leaving China for Vietnam and other such countries in Asia. That’s why China wants to make a deal so badly!...— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
He isn't wrong!
That is true - companies scramble to Vietnam, which is nice since Vietnamese hate Chinese guts, and are very, very friendly to Americans.
RC2006 says60 billion, china is going to run out of things to tariff long before we do they can fuck off. We export 1 billion for every 5 we import, China will loose.
I don't understand why the Chinese haven't figured this out yet.
I love this President!
If !!!Jeb!!! was elected, he'd be saying how Trade Deficits are an "Act of Love" or "Compassion" or some bullshit.
If Hillary was elected, we'd probably be glowing at night from a nuclear winter.