U.S. envoys are likely to have met stiff resistance, given their demands for fundamental revisions in how the Chinese leadership manages foreign trade and its domestic economy. The demands included a $200 billion cut in the U.S. trade deficit with China by 2020. “This could be remembered as the day that the U.S. and China found out it wasn’t misunderstanding causing their difficulties,” Kennedy said. “It’s not like that.”U.S. sanctions against leading Chinese telecommunications equipment manufacturer ZTE have also cast a significant shadow over the trade relationship. “China has to progress, and it’s unstoppable by anyone.”China’s Commerce Ministry said it made “solemn representations” to the U.S. delegation over the ZTE case during the talks.

Source: Washington Post May 04, 2018 10:47 UTC