BEIJING — A Chinese envoy is going to Washington on Wednesday to prepare for trade negotiations.
The announcement Tuesday follows conciliatory gestures by both sides ahead of the October talks on their fight over trade and technology, which threatens to dampen global economic growth.
A deputy finance minister, Liao Min, will lead a delegation to Washington to “pave the way” for the 13th round of negotiations, the official Xinhua News Agency said. It gave no details of their agenda.
The two governments have raised tariffs on billions of dollars of each other’s goods. That has battered farmers and manufacturers on both sides and fueled fears the global economy, which already is showing signs of cooling, might tip into recession.
Beijing announced Friday it will lift punitive tariffs on American soybeans, China’s biggest import from the United States. That followed President Donald Trump’s decision to postpone a tariff hike on Chinese imports. But there has been no sign of progress on the core issues in their sprawling dispute.
Washington wants Beijing to roll back plans for state-led development of leaders in robotics and other technologies. The United States, Europe and other trading partners argue those violate China’s free-trade commitments.
Some American officials worry they will erode U.S. industrial leadership.
Negotiations broke down in May over how to enforce any deal.
Beijing says Trump’s tariff hikes must be lifted as soon as an agreement takes effect. Washington wants to keep some in place to ensure Chinese compliance.
Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed in June to resume talks but the last round in Shanghai in July produced no progress.
The Associated Press
