US-China Trade Representatives to Soon Hold Talks... Discussing Issues in Trade Agreement Implementation

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Park Sun-mi] Attention is focused on whether the frozen US-China relationship can ease through a phone call between trade negotiation representatives next week.

On the 7th (local time), Bloomberg News reported, citing sources, that as early as next week, Liu He, China's Vice Premier, and Robert Lighthizer, the United States Trade Representative (USTR), are scheduled to have a phone call. If the two trade negotiation representatives hold a phone call, it will be the first dialogue since the signing of the Phase 1 trade agreement in January this year. When the Phase 1 trade agreement was concluded in January, both countries' representatives agreed to contact each other every six months to discuss related issues, but if the phone call takes place next week, it means they are advancing the schedule to engage in dialogue earlier than planned.

Sources said the main topic of the phone call between the two countries' trade negotiation representatives will be the progress in implementing the Phase 1 trade agreement. US President Donald Trump also responded to White House reporters' questions on the 6th regarding China's implementation of the Phase 1 trade agreement by saying, "We should be able to report within about a week or two whether China is fulfilling its obligations," leaving open the possibility of dialogue between the two sides soon on the issue of trade agreement implementation.

The phone call between the trade negotiation representatives is being attempted amid deepening conflicts over the responsibility for the spread of COVID-19 between the two countries and disputes over the implementation of the trade agreement.

President Trump believes that China failed to respond properly in the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak, which worsened the situation, and also believes that China is not properly fulfilling the promises made in the already concluded Phase 1 trade agreement. Accordingly, President Trump has warned that if China does not purchase the agreed amount of US products and services, the US-China trade agreement could be terminated.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has repeatedly raised the 'China responsibility theory' regarding the COVID-19 situation, while still leaving open the possibility of further US-China trade negotiations.

In an interview with CNBC, Secretary Pompeo said, "If China is interested in protecting intellectual property rights, engaging in fair and mutually beneficial trade, there will be a way to do that. But if China chooses a different path and continues the operational methods of the past 25 years, President Trump will say, 'That does not work for America, and we will take a different path.'"

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.