Officials at the White House have asked their counterparts in Beijing for another round of trade talks, sources told the Wall Street Journal. The move comes just as markets prepare for the signing of a tariff package on $200 billion of Chinese exports.
The invitation was sent to policymakers including chief economic adviser Liu He, who visited Washington earlier in the year as the head of the Chinese trade delegation.
The last high-level talks were convened back in June, but since then tensions have only escalated with little sign of a breakthrough.
Recently, some Trump officials have voiced their perception that China has become more vulnerable and so open to negotiations after the blow of US tariffs, the Journal reports. From their side, however, Chinese officials have been defiant and have vowed retaliation to any protectionist measures.
“Most of us believe it’s better to talk than not to talk, and I think the Chinese government is willing to talk,” said Larry Kudlow, head of the White House National Economic Council. “You could say that communication has picked up a notch.”
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