White House optimistic on China trade; no date for more
talks
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[September 22, 2018]
By Jeff Mason
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is
optimistic about finding a way forward in its trade dispute with China,
but it does not have a date scheduled for further talks as it assesses
Beijing's response to the latest round of tariffs, a senior White House
official said on Friday.
The official said despite its protestations, China was well aware of
U.S. demands it halt what Washington considers unfair trade practices.
U.S. President Donald Trump has made clear his resolve on the issue, the
official said, and the two sides remain in touch.
"We have been very clear in all of these meetings about what is ...
required," the official said. "I am still optimistic that there is a
positive way forward, and the president wants us to continue to engage
to try to achieve a positive way forward."
The official's comments came ahead of a report by the Wall Street
Journal that China had canceled mid-level trade talks with the United
States, as well as a proposed visit to Washington by vice premier Liu He
originally scheduled for next week.
Earlier this week, China added $60 billion of U.S. products to its
import tariff list as it hit back at U.S. duties on $200 billion of
Chinese goods that go into effect from Sept. 24. The escalating trade
dispute has spooked financial markets.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on condition of anonymity, the
official made clear the administration's ultimate goal was not to
separate the interlinked U.S. and Chinese economies, but he said
companies could choose to alter their supply chains if Beijing did not
change course.
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A worker places U.S. and China flags near the Forbidden City ahead
of a visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to Beijing, in Beijing,
China November 8, 2017. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj
"Our goal here is not to cleave off the Chinese market from the U.S. market, I
don't think that's good for long-term growth," he said. "In the short term there
is of course a risk that if China continues on the path it is, that some
companies as a result of this may start ... to move supply chains."
The official also said he hoped Canada would agree to join a U.S.-Mexico trade
deal by the end of the month, while saying he thought U.S. lawmakers would
support a bilateral deal with Mexico if that did not happen.
U.S. and Canadian officials have been engaged in talks to modernize the North
American Free Trade Agreement, a 1994 deal that underpins $1.2 trillion in trade
between the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The official dismissed concerns separate deals with Canada and Mexico would have
a negative impact on supply chains.
"I think it's overblown to say that if we have separate deals with these two,
that there still can't be a really high degree of integration," he said.
(Additional reporting by David Stanway in Shanghai; Editing by Paul Simao and
Nick Macfie)
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