Optimistic, but firm. The us president, Donald Trump declared Thursday from the oval Office where he met with the chinese vice premier Liu He, that the United States and China were very close to a trade agreement. But he also warned Beijing that a failure of negotiations could mean the end of trade between the two countries. “Maybe in the next four weeks, more or less, something truly monumental could be announced,”-he said, specifying that it would then be a summit with his chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. “We are very close to concluding an agreement. This does not mean that it is concluded”, he added. According to him, several difficult issues have been resolved, but some differences remain.
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Liu He, who leads the negotiations for his country has also made progress in the negotiations, the fact of the direct involvement of Trump. According to the New China news agency, the chinese leader said to Donald Trump that the negotiators of the two sides had reached a new consensus on important issues and on the writings of an eventual agreement. Liu has sent Trump a message to Xi Jinping, reported the official press agency of china, in which the chinese president expressed his willingness to conclude an agreement quickly. “In the current situation, the development of healthy and stable relations between China and the United States is related to the mutual interests of the peoples in china and the us”, said Liu He, by transmitting the message of its president.
A new round of talks
A new round of talks opened in Washington on Wednesday, led by u.s. Trade representative Robert Lighthizer, and the secretary of the Treasury, Steven Mnuchin. The discussions should come to an end Friday, but could be extended.
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Donald Trump has refused to say what will happen to the customs duties imposed by the United States on about $ 250 billion (223 billion) of chinese goods if an agreement were to be concluded. Beijing wants the lifting of customs taxes, but Washington plans to keep them, at least in a first time, in order not to lose this lever.
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The u.s. president had in the past threatened to impose tariffs on virtually all chinese products imported. Robert Lighthizer said that several “major problems” remained to be resolved and welcomed the commitment of Liu He to implement the reforms in China. The economic adviser of the White House, Larry Kudlow, said the negotiations had progressed during the previous round of talks last week in Beijing, and that the two parties wanted to bridge the gap that separates them.
To put an end to drug trafficking, Trump threatens Mexico of customs duties on the car
Donald Trump has threatened Thursday to impose customs duties on cars imported into the United States from Mexico if it was not more active in stopping the illegal influx of migrants and to put an end to drug trafficking in the border between the two countries. It is the last threat in the date of the american president to ask for Mexico to strengthen its fight against the “caravan” of migrants.
Trump had warned last Friday that it could close the border between the United States and Mexico. A threat is then attenuated by the spokesperson of the White House, then such a move could jeopardize billions of dollars in trade. “Before you close the border, we will establish tariffs on the automobile. I do not believe that we will have to close the border one day because the penalty (…) will be massive,” said Trump to reporters from the White House, referring to taxes of 25% on imported cars in the United States from Mexico.
