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Washington and Beijing signed a so-called Phase 1 trade deal in
January 2020, before the widespread outbreak of COVID-19. The
pact calls for China to increase its purchases of U.S. exports
by $200 billion over two years.
Economists say Beijing is behind in meeting that target, partly
due to the pandemic. The pact is set to expire by the end of
2021.
"We've always stressed that both sides should work together,
create the atmosphere and conditions to push for the
implementation of the deal," Gao Feng, spokesman for China's
commerce ministry, told reporters when asked about U.S.-China
trade talks.
"Trade and economic cooperation between the two sides are in the
interest of both countries and their people," he said.
While trade ties between the two countries have calmed since the
signing of the pact, bilateral relations have been tense due to
disagreement over issues ranging from the origins of the
coronavirus to China's maritime claims in the South China Sea.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday charged China
with bullying its Southeast Asian neighbours, the second time in
two days she has attacked Beijing during a regional visit, as
Washington tries to rally regional partners to take on China's
growing economic and military influence.
One bright spot is closer cooperation in tackling the threat of
climate change.
U.S. climate envoy John F. Kerry is expected to travel to China
in September, sources told Reuters this week, which would be his
second visit to China this year.
(Reporting by Stella Qiu and Ryan Woo; Editing by Tom Hogue)
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