Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Washington/Beijing
China’s top trade envoy is preparing to travel to the US for crucial talks, a senior Chinese official said today despite President Donald Trump’s surprise announcement, threatening to impose more punishing taxes on $200 billion worth of Chinese products due to slow progress in negotiations.
The brief statement from Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Geng Shuang came as media reports said China is considering to cancel the high-level trade talks with the US, leading to tumbling of shares and oil prices across the Asian markets amid worries that the two major economic giants were once again on the path of confrontation.
Geng said China was “trying to get more information” following Trump’s surprise announcement he might impose 25% tariffs on more Chinese imports.
Asked whether the top Chinese envoy, Vice Premier Liu He, would visit Washington as planned, Geng said, “A Chinese team is preparing to travel to the US for trade talks.” He did not give more details when asked who might participate or whether the talks would go ahead as scheduled on Wednesday in Washington. President Trump’s remarks came on Sunday as the two countries locked in a longstanding trade war seemed near to striking a trade deal. A high-level Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier Liu was scheduled to be in Washington to resume talks aimed at resolving the trade war that has cast gloom over the world economy.
“China is considering cancelling trade talks that are to resume in Washington starting Wednesday,” The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday quoting unnamed sources.
