Could China and the United States do a deal to end the trade war before summer? China expert and former US diplomat says ‘yes’
- Andy Rothman thinks domestic issues on both sides lead to increased motivation to make an agreement
- Rothman was head of macroeconomics and domestic policy at the US Embassy in Beijing.
A former US diplomat and China strategist has added his voice to the growing chorus of experts who believe a short-term resolution to the trade war can be reached within months.
Andy Rothman, who spent 17 years in the US foreign service focused on China and is now an investment strategist, said a deal could be struck by the summer, with domestic issues leading to increased motivation on both sides to make an agreement.
Rothman was head of macroeconomics and domestic policy office of the US embassy in Beijing. In the 1990s, he was involved in US efforts to negotiate China’s accession to the World Trade Organisation. He expects the current negotiating deadline of March 1 to be extended.
“Now that a negotiation is seriously under way, there is no reason for the US to go back and put more tariffs in place, as long as progress is being made towards a deal,” he said. “It is rare that a trade negotiation gets finished on time and President [Donald] Trump can extend the deadline.”
