China-US trade talks in Washington 'positive, constructive and fruitful': source

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The China-US trade talks in Washington have been "positive, constructive and fruitful," said a source who attended the talks.

Chinese President Xi Jinping's special envoy and Vice Premier Liu He arrived in Washington, DC on Tuesday afternoon for economic and trade consultations with the US side at the invitation of the US government.

Positive

The US attached importance to this round of consultations, as US President Donald Trump together with Vice President Mike Pence met with Liu at the White House on Thursday, according to bullpiano, a WeChat official account that comment on international and business news.

US President Donald Trump (L) tweets on May 17, 2018, "Talking trade with the Vice Premier of the People’s Republic of China, Liu He (R)." /Twitter Photo

In this meeting, Trump urged economic teams of the two sides to proactively settle disputes, and Liu said China-US relations have made important and positive progress guided by two presidents.

From Chinese side, the delegation members are from major economic sectors of the Chinese government, including Yi Gang, Governor of the People’s Bank of China, and Ning Jizhe, Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission.

Constructive

US officials said on Thursday that China was offering Trump a package of trade concessions and increased imports of US goods to reduce the US trade deficit by 200 billion US dollars.

Lu Kang, spokesman for Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, answers questions from reporters in a regular press briefing, May 18, 2018. /MOFA Photo

China denied the rumor in a press briefing on Friday, saying that the country has made no such offer, and that trade consultations are still under way.

“The rumor is not true. As far as I know, the relevant consultations are still in progress, and the consultations are constructive,” said Lu Kang, a spokesman for Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

It is absolutely impossible for the Chinese delegation to negotiate under the conditions set by the US, which has already been clear in the last round of consultations in Beijing, according to bullpiano.

Fruitful

In the meeting with Liu, Trump said the two sides should prioritize trade and investment cooperation on energy and manufacturing, expand agricultural product trade and market access, as well as deepen bilateral cooperation on intellectual property rights protection.

Container cargo freight ship with working crane bridge in shipyard /VCG Photo

It is noted that the US has an advantage in these areas, and China’s appropriate increase of imports will help meet the people’s needs for a better life, and it is also conducive to the formation of a domestic competitive market, according to bullpiano.

The two sides achieved progress in consultations on expanding US chip and high-tech exports to China, as well as easing US energy exports to China, and consultation results are worth looking forward to, said bullpiano.

(CGTN's Li Qian also contributed to the story.)