Top trade negotiators from the US and China began their talks in "good spirits" here on Thursday amid the optimism generated by President Donald Trump's remarks about extending the March 1 deadline for the world's two largest economies to reach a trade deal.
US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and his Chinese counterpart Vice Premier Liu He met in Beijing to take the talks forward from their recent meeting in Washington on the topics of trade balance, technology transfer, protection of intellectual property rights (IPR), non-tariff barriers, service sector, agriculture and enforcement mechanism.
Besides Lighthizer, described as a hardliner on China by the Chinese media, the US team also included Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and David Malpass, a Treasury undersecretary who is Trump's nominee for World Bank president.
Trump is pushing China to reduce the USD 375 billion trade deficit and protection of intellectual property rights and more access to Chinese markets. He has ...
