The U.S. and China concluded their most recent trade talks Wednesday without announcing any new policy changes by either side. The talks involved lower-level officials from each side and were meant to lay the groundwork for further talks later this month with higher-level officials.
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer’s office said in a statement Wednesday that the three days of talks held in Beijing discussed “ways to achieve fairness, reciprocity, and balance in trade relations between our two countries. The officials also discussed the need for any agreement to provide for complete implementation subject to ongoing verification and effective enforcement.”
[Opinion: As the US and China meet for trade talks, the broader dispute looms]
The announcement did not give a date for when the next round of talks where scheduled, but indicated that the negotiations were ongoing. “The delegation will now report back to receive guidance on the next steps,” it said.
While little progress was reported, the administration has been optimistic about the talks. “Talks with China are going very well!” President Trump tweeted Tuesday.
The same day, Beijing said that it would accept some genetically-modified crops that it had previously prohibited, long a sore point for the U.S. agricultural industry. China’s purchases of of products like soybeans remains far below their levels from last year, however.
The Trump administration has imposed a March deadline to make progress or else it will raise tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods to 25 percent, up from 10 percent.
