As President Trump continues to celebrate his weekend “trade truce”, more details about the negotiations with China set to take place over the next 90 days are beginning to take shape. During an interview on NPR’s “Morning Edition,” White House Advisor Peter Navarro said US Trade Rep. Robert Lighthizer will lead the US delegation during the upcoming talks with China.
White House aide Peter Navarro to @MorningEdition on China trade deal: US Trade Rep. Robert Lighthizer will lead 90 day talks with China. China’s president Xi gave responses to 142 US trade complaints; now they must negotiate them or US says will go ahead with 25% tariffs. @npr
— Steve Inskeep (@NPRinskeep) December 3, 2018
Navarro also claimed that Chinese President Xi Jinping has offered responses to 142 US trade complaints, and that the two sides must now negotiate more equitable trade terms for both sides, or the US will move ahead with its 25% tariffs. Meanwhile, Trump continued his twitter “victory lap” by tweeting that the US’s relationship with China has taken a “BIG leap forward!”
My meeting in Argentina with President Xi of China was an extraordinary one. Relations with China have taken a BIG leap forward! Very good things will happen. We are dealing from great strength, but China likewise has much to gain if and when a deal is completed. Level the field!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2018
The president also emphasized that struggling US farmers will see immediate relief as China begins purchasing US agricultural products again.
Farmers will be a a very BIG and FAST beneficiary of our deal with China. They intend to start purchasing agricultural product immediately. We make the finest and cleanest product in the World, and that is what China wants. Farmers, I LOVE YOU!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2018
However, as often happens with the Trump administration, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin sent a conflicting signal on Monday morning during an interview with CNBC when he said that Trump would be leading the trade talks. He added that he hopes there will be a “real agreement” with China in the near future (as opposed to the “fake agreement” we have now?)
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