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US-China trade talks can progress if both sides are proactive, Foreign Minister Wang Yi says

  • Wang hopes for continued momentum after recent goodwill gestures from Washington and Beijing
  • Top-level talks are expected to resume in the US in two weeks’ time

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi attends a Security Council meeting at UN headquarters on Wednesday. Photo: AP
Wendy Wuin Beijing
China’s foreign minister has said efforts to resolve the trade war with the United States would be pushed forward if both nations took more proactive steps during their forthcoming negotiations.
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Wang Yi told reporters on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday that both nations had recently shown goodwill and he hoped the momentum would continue.

“Recently both sides have shown goodwill to each other, such as the US granting a tariff exemption for hundreds of Chinese products and China being willing to buy more American products needed by Chinese market,” Wang said.

“We hope both sides are able to take more proactive steps and minimise pessimistic language and actions. If everyone does this, I believe the [trade] talks will not only resume but move forward.”

The two countries are preparing for a new round of top-level trade negotiations in Washington early next month, in which Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He will meet US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
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