FUKUOKA, Japan — An unending trade war between the United States and China. Escalating trade disputes spurred by the president’s affinity for employing tariffs as his diplomatic weapon of choice have cast a pall over the global economy as finance ministers gather in Japan for an annual Group of 20 meeting. The weekend of talks, which begin Friday evening in Fukuoka, is expected to be rife with friction as protectionism threatens to slow growth. A central figure in the discussions will be Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, who will again seek to reassure ministers from other countries about Mr. Trump’s trade agenda. All eyes will be on Mr. Mnuchin’s scheduled meeting with Yi Gang, the governor of the People’s Bank of China.

Source: International New York Times June 07, 2019 09:00 UTC