Export controls conversation moving forward despite Commerce personnel shake-up
The tightening of the direct product and de minimis rules, targeting Huawei, remain on the table despite a key personnel change at the Department of Commerce. On Monday, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross announced that Earl Comstock, director of policy and strategic planning, would be stepping down today. It is unclear exactly what prompted the announcement, or who will replace Comstock, but the decision has...
Phase One implementation begins
US officials continued to affirm this week that no request from China to delay implementation of the Phase One trade deal had been received, and that it was on track despite concerns about COVID-19. In a move that could pave the way for the increased purchases outlined in the expanding trade chapter of the deal, including agricultural products, China announced a new list of products that will be eligible for tariff exclusions. Yesterday, the United...
Several questions remain about the implementation of the Phase One trade agreement due to come into force on February 14. With little information from US or Chinese officials as to whether tariffs on various goods will be rolled back, there are doubts over the prospects of purchase commitments being met, and questions about the timeframe. Prospects for “phase two” negotiations are also unclear. In conversations with the US-China Business Council,...
Issues still left to be sorted out at next week’s negotiations, but both sides hope to reach a deal by end of next week
This week’s negotiations at the principal level in Beijing achieved more progress on issues, such as the enforcement mechanism and the rollback of tariffs, but there are difficult issues that remain to be sorted out next week, including access to China’s cloud computing market and industrial policies. Both sides are racing to complete the agreement by the end of next...
Tariff hike suspended; Lighthizer discusses progress made in trade talks
In a Federal Register Notice released this week, the Office of US Trade Representative (USTR) formally...
High-level bilateral talks scheduled for end of January
The Chinese government confirmed on Thursday that Vice Premier Liu He will visit the United States from January 30 to 31 to continue the bilateral trade talks that began at the vice-ministerial level from January 7 to 9. China’s Ministry of Commerce Spokesman Gao Feng offered no other details on Liu He’s agenda in Washington, except that both countries will try to implement the common understanding reached by...
US-China trade talks review substantive issues, but no outcomes to date
Trade negotiations between the United States and China this week covered both structural issues and the trade balance. While no agreement was reached—nor was one expected—the substantive discussions laid the groundwork for further negotiations on the most difficult bilateral trade issues.
US-China Business Council sources indicate that the talks were extended to a third day to...
Additional steps taken to implement G20 outcomes amid heightened tension on cybertheft
The United States and China took some additional steps this week to reduce bilateral trade tensions, though the United States announced actions on cyber crime that dampened the mood in the relationship.
At China’s Central Economic Work Conference this week, leaders promised to implement some structural economic changes to implement the agreement reached by...
Initial actions announced on US-China trade issues, though much work remains
The United States and China this week took initial steps to reduce tensions in bilateral trade.
On Monday evening, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, and Vice Premier Liu He spoke by phone. A brief statement released by the Ministry of Commerce said that “both sides exchanged their views on the timetable and roadmap for pushing...
Details about the agreement and future trade talks still unclear after Trump-Xi meeting
Limited details have emerged about the agreement that Presidents Trump and Xi reached at their working dinner after the G20 summit this past weekend, creating ambiguity about what the goals and agenda of the trade talks for the next 90 days will be.
Trump confirmed this week that the US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer will be leading the trade negotiations and will also be working...
