China, US trade negotiators hold video talks

Shanghai, China, Oct 9 (EFE).- Chinese Vice Premier Liu He and United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai on Saturday held a videoconference over trade issues, which Beijing termed “pragmatic, candid and constructive” in a report by the official Xinhua news agency.

According to the report, the negotiators agreed that economic and trade ties should be “strengthened” both between the two countries and for the world at large.

Liu and Tai “exchanged views” on the implementation of bilateral economic and trade agreement.

Washington has alleged that China had not fulfilled all its commitments under the first phase of the pact signed by the two sides to end their trade war.

In this regard, Xinhua said that both sides expressed their concerns and agreed to resolve them through consultation.

The Chinese vice premier lodged a formal complaint over US tariffs and sanctions during the dialog.

Meanwhile the US side also said in a statement that the two sides had held a “candid exchange.”

According to the statement, Tai “emphasized US concerns relating to its state-led, non-market policies and practices that harm American workers, farmers and businesses.”

The second conversation between Liu and Tai comes days after the latter said in a speech that the US would begin a process to exempt some Chinese goods from Trump-era tariffs in specific areas, without providing further details.

Tai had criticized Beijing’s “unfair” trade practices, but insisted that the Biden administration is not looking to increase trade tensions with China, in the context of the trade war launched by Biden’s predecessor. EFE