US rejects advance trade meeting with China: reports
The United States has rejected Beijing's offer to hold preparatory talks in Washington ahead of next week's high-level trade delegation, according to media reports.
The reports by The Financial Times and CNBC sent US stocks sharply lower, reviving fears that efforts to resolve the US-China trade war could fail. Citing a lack of progress on some of the thorniest issues in the trade dispute -- including allegedly forced technology transfers and structural reforms to China's economy -- Washington cancelled plans for a face-to-face preparatory meeting this week, according to The Times.
Chinese Vice Premier Liu He is due to travel to the United States next week as the two sides work to resolve their disagreements by March 1, when a 90-day truce is due to expire, allowing US import duties on Chinese goods to increase sharply.
The US Treasury Department and Office of the US Trade Representative did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Chinese economy last year posted its ...