China to send negotiator to US for trade talks this month

In this May 21, 2018 file photo, container ships are unloaded at the Port of Oakland in Oakland, California. The Trump administration started to impose last  July 6 tariffs on $34 billion in Chinese imports. And China has promptly hit  back with tariffs on an equal amount of U.S. exports. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

BEIJING – China will send a top negotiator to the United States later this month to resume trade talks, the commerce ministry said Thursday, the first public meeting on the subject in weeks as the trade conflict intensifies.

Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen, the deputy representative on international trade negotiations, will meet with a senior US treasury official, David Malpass, at the invitation of the United States, the ministry said in a statement.

“The Chinese side reiterates that it opposes unilateralism and trade protectionism practices and does not accept any unilateral trade restriction measures,” the ministry said.

“China welcomes dialogue and communication on the basis of reciprocity, equality and integrity,” it added.

US Commerce Minister Wilbur Ross held talks with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He in Beijing in June.

But the discussions failed to reduce tensions as the United States slapped tariffs on $34 billion worth of Chinese goods in early July, triggering an immediate dollar-for-dollar retaliation from Beijing.

The two countries plan to launch a new round of tit-for-tat tariffs on $16 billion worth of goods from each country on August 23.   /kga