Uncategorized
China says it has agreed to US trade deal text, indicates next step is signing
China and the U.S. have reached an agreement on text of a phase one trade deal and will now move toward signing a deal as quickly as possible, Chinese officials said Friday.Under the accord, the U.S. will scrap tariffs on Chinese goods in phases, a priority for Beijing, Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen said. However,…
China and the U.S. have reached an agreement on text of a phase one trade deal and will now move toward signing a deal as quickly as possible, Chinese officials said Friday.
Under the accord, the U.S. will scrap tariffs on Chinese goods in phases, a priority for Beijing, Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen said. However, Wang did not detail when exactly the U.S. would roll back duties. The White House will also cancel tariffs on consumer goods set to take effect Sunday.
Beijing will increase agricultural purchases significantly, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Han Jun said, though he did not specify by how much. President Donald Trump has insisted that Beijing buy more American crops as part of a deal.
The developing deal involves intellectual property, technology transfers, agricultural goods, financial services and expansion of trade, Chinese officials said.
Chinese Vice Premier and lead trade negotiator Liu He, right, reaches to shake hands with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer before the opening session of trade negotiations at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019.
Mark Schiefelbein | Pool | Reuters
The agreement still needs to go through legal procedures as Washington and Beijing work toward setting a time for inking it.
Major U.S. stock indexes jumped following the comments from Chinese officials.
The world's two largest economies have scrambled to patch up a partial trade deal announced in October, which Trump said would involve more Chinese purchases of agricultural goods.
The president has used tariffs to pressure Beijing as he pushes for a broader agreement to address what he calls abuses including intellectual property theft, forced technology transfers and a massive trade deficit.
Reports emerged Thursday that the White House and China reached a phase one trade deal in principle, pending Trump's approval. The president has not yet signed off on the agreement publicly.
Subscribe to Centenunlimited news
We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe
