The Trump administration and their counterparts in Beijing are considering a trade agreement under which President Trump would withhold levying new tariffs on China, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.
In exchange for holding back on new tariffs through the spring, China would reconsider some economic policies, which could include intellectual property protections, subsidies to state-owned businesses, opening up its markets and cyber-espionage, according to the report. Trade officials from both countries are said to have been discussing the arrangement for weeks, though it remains unclear whether both parties would sign on.
Trump is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Group of 20 summit in Buenos Aires this weekend. A final decision on the proposed arrangement would reportedly not be decided until then.
White House trade adviser Peter Navarro – a trade hawk – is expected to attend a dinner between the pair of world leaders, as first reported by the South China Morning Post, which some believe could decrease prospects of progress. – READ MORE