- Title: Top-level U.S.-China trade talks resume as irritants sour atmosphere
- Date: 10th October 2019
- Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (OCTOBER 10, 2019) (REUTERS) CHINESE VICE PREMIER LIU HE GREETING U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE ROBERT LIGHTHIZER (LEFT) AND U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY STEVEN MNUCHIN (RIGHT) OUTSIDE THE OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE (USTR) CHINESE VICE PREMIER LIU HE, LIGHTHIZER AND MNUCHIN POSING FOR PICTURES LIGHTHIZER ENTERING BUILDING AS MNUCHIN AND VICE PREMIER LIU HE SHAKE HANDS MNUCHIN AND VICE PREMIER LIU HE ENTERING BUILDING WITH MEMBERS OF DELEGATION
- Embargoed: 24th October 2019 14:16
- Keywords: China trade
- Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- City: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Government/Politics,International Trade
- Reuters ID: LVA001B0IMWJR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The United States' and China's top trade negotiators met on Thursday (October 10) for the first time since late July to try to find a way out of a 15-month trade war as new irritants between the world's two largest economies threatened hopes for progress.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer greeted Chinese Vice Premier Liu He on the steps of the USTR office before a meeting in which they will seek to narrow differences enough to avoid a scheduled Oct. 15 tariff rate increase on $250 billion worth of Chinese goods.
But the atmosphere surrounding the talks was soured by the U.S. Commerce Department's decision on Monday to blacklist 28 Chinese public security bureaus, technology and surveillance firms, citing human rights violations of Muslim minority groups in China's Xinjiang province. A day later, the U.S. State Department imposed visa restrictions on Chinese officials related to the Xinjiang issue.
If negotiations break down again, by Dec. 15, nearly all Chinese goods imports into the United States -- more than $500 billion -- could be subject to punitive tariffs in the dispute that erupted during U.S. President Donald Trump's time in office.
Although some media reports suggested both sides are considering an "interim" deal that would suspend planned further U.S. tariffs in exchange for additional purchases of American farm products, Trump has repeatedly dismissed this idea, insisting that he wants a "big deal" with Beijing that addresses core intellectual property issues.
(Production: Gershon Peaks, Pavithra George) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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