US stick will not change China’s trade stance: Beijing
A Chinese official says the United States should stop using “a threatening stick” in trade negotiations with China, stressing that Beijing will not change its stance on trade matters under pressure.
US President Donald Trump initiated what is effectively a trade war with China last month when he announced unusually high tariffs on Chinese aluminum and steel imports. Beijing has repeatedly cautioned against such a war since then but has taken retaliatory action.
Several rounds of tit-for-tat measures were introduced before the two sides agreed to negotiate to resolve the matter.
But those talks have hit a wall. Even before they began, Trump had threatened to levy a further $100 billion in tariffs against China, in addition to the $50 billion of tariffs already proposed on Chinese imports.
“The United States must put away its threatening stick. China’s position has not changed and will not change,” Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesman Gao Feng said on Thursday, apparently referring to the threat of more tariffs.
Gao said China opposed protectionism and unilateralism in trade relations.
A US trade delegation visited Beijing last week for talks but failed to resolve the escalating trade dispute between the world’s two largest economies, with each side refusing so far to agree to specific demands from the other.
Officials from the US and China are now preparing to meet for a next round of talks on trade relations in Washington.
The Chinese Commerce Ministry has confirmed that Vice Premier Liu He will visit the US to discuss trade at an appropriate time.
Russia: Poland’s talks on hosting US nuclear weapons ‘dangerous’
Russia says weighs downgrading ties with US if assets are seized
Iran urges US to stop support for Israel as university revolt spreads
US to pull out troops from Chad in second African state withdrawal
Yemeni armed forces strike British oil tanker in Red Sea
VIDEO | Genocide in Gaza
VIDEO | Press TV's news headlines
VIDEO | American, Israeli rabbis call for ceasefire during protest near Gaza
Iran calls for enhanced defense cooperation with Russia
US campus crackdown: 500 pro-Palestinian protesters arrested
VIDEO | Yemenis rally in Sana'a in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
