WASHINGTON: China said on Saturday it pressed the United States to eliminate tariffs in talks between the countries' top trade officials that Washington saw as a test of bilateral engagement between the world's biggest economies. "The Chinese side negotiated over the cancellation of tariffs and sanctions, and clarified its position on China's economic development model and industrial policies," China's Xinhua state news agency said after the talks, held on Friday Washington time. Tai intended to use the call, the second between the two, to test whether bilateral engagement can address U.S. complaints about Beijing's trade and subsidy practices, a USTR official said. Xinhua said the two sides "expressed their core concerns and agreed to resolve each other's reasonable concerns through consultation." The Phase 1 deal in January eased a long running tariff war between the world's two largest economies.

Source: The Star October 09, 2021 04:30 UTC