US and China Show Goodwill, Take Action To Aid in Trade Talks

Published in Huanqiu
(China) on 21 July 2019
by (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Tyler Ruzicka. Edited by Helaine Schweitzer.

 

 

According to official Chinese media reports, Chinese importers have begun making new arrangements to purchase U.S. agricultural goods, including making price inquiries by related import companies on goods like soybeans. This is part of recent plans to reopen trade negotiations and demonstrate goodwill between the U.S. and China, a consensus that was reached by the leaders of both nations at the Group of 20 summit of leading and emerging-market nations in Osaka.

After the Osaka summit, the U.S. exempted 110 different Chinese manufactured goods from increased tariffs, and promoted the continued supply of goods to Huawei and other Chinese firms. These moves are considered part of the United States’ stance to alleviate tense trade relations between the two countries. On July 18, Chinese Vice Premier Liu He spoke with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin by phone to discuss implementing the G-20 agreement and the next step in negotiations.

The trade war has caused harm to both the U.S. and Chinese economies, and thrown normal trading practices between the two into disarray. Products now undergoing price inquiry by Chinese import firms, like soybean, cotton, pork, sorghum and more, are Chinese necessities and should have been bought from the U.S. all along. In order to counter America’s unfair trade practices, China recently stopped buying these products from the United States, instead purchasing them from other countries. Changes in the trade relationship between the two countries will determine when, and to what extent, China resumes its former purchasing norms.

Since the China-U.S. trade war broke out last year, China has said it is unwilling to fight, but unafraid to fight, and must fight when necessary. By firmly countering U.S. tariff hikes, China has shown that it is committed to protecting its national interests and will refuse unprincipled compromises. This has earned China worldwide respect. At the same time, China has kept the door to negotiations open, preserving the ability to mold and influence the development of the situation.

The U.S. needs the Chinese market; regardless of how the trade war continues, that fact can't be denied. China's enormous market is the source of its strength, and it is wisely using it for leverage.

Objectively speaking, the U.S. initiated the trade war. It has more methods and tools at its disposal, and it has a more apparent advantage. However, for more than a year, China's response has demonstrated that we have a strong enough foundation to withstand and outlast the trade war, and that we know when to advance and when to retreat. In addition, Chinese society has shown a high degree of unity overall, increasing the deterrence power of China's approach.

At the start of the trade war, some doubted that China would be able to use the purchase of agricultural products as a tool, believing that the Chinese market had already developed a dependence on the high-quality goods produced in the U.S. However, the facts have proven that China is highly flexible when it comes to the purchase of U.S. agricultural products. The impact on the U.S. created by this change is far greater than the side effects on the Chinese market. Now, the U.S. is economically and politically focused on the issue of agricultural products.

The resumption of the purchase of American agricultural products will both promote China-U.S. trade talks and better satisfy the Chinese market. This is a result of China's methodical coordination and planning. It appears that the China-U.S. trade games will go on for some time. We must use the tools at our disposal to their fullest potential to effectively serve China's national interest.

Now, it is clearer to both sides that an outcome where one fully overpowers the other is impossible. Dragging the trade war out can only end in mutual exhaustion. The only way to end the war is for both sides to cooperate, interact with goodwill, and resolve the present deadlock.

The consensus reached by the leaders of the two nations at the Osaka summit has once again established a goal for ending the trade war. Now, both sides have started to show goodwill. In addition, leaders of the two nations' negotiating teams have held two meetings by phone, and in-person talks will soon begin. We hope that this progress will gain constructive, lasting momentum, and that the agreement between the two nations will bear tangible results.


据中国官方媒体报道,中国进口商已经启动对美国农产品新的购买事宜,相关进口企业正在对美国的大豆等农产品询价。这是中美近来为落实两国元首大阪会晤共识、重启经贸磋商而互释善意的一部分。

  大阪峰会后,美方对110项中国输美工业品豁免加征关税,并且推动向华为等中国企业继续供货,这些被认为是美方缓和两国紧绷经贸形势的一个姿态。18日,刘鹤应约与莱特希泽、姆努钦通电话,就落实两国元首大阪会晤共识及下一步磋商交换了意见。

  贸易战给中美经济都造成了损失,使两国购买对方商品的正常贸易行为陷入混乱,这次中国进口企业询价的美国大豆、棉花、猪肉、高粱等都是中国需要的产品,它们原本都应处在中国对美采购单上。前段时间中国为了反制美方的不公平做法而停止采购这些美国农产品,转向从其他国家采购。中方在什么时间、多大规模上恢复采购,要由两国经贸形势的变化来决定。

  自去年中美贸易战爆发以来,中国采取不愿打、不怕打、必要时不得不打的稳健策略,坚决反制了美方的加税行动,建立起我们坚决维护国家利益、决不做无原则妥协的可信形象,受到全世界的尊重和钦佩。同时中方始终把磋商的大门打开,保持着对局势发展的影响和塑造能力。

  美国需要中国的市场,贸易战打成什么样,这个事实都藏不住。市场庞大是中国力量的重要来源。运用好市场这个杠杆,则是中国智慧的体现。

  客观而言,美国是贸易战的主动发起方,它的手段和工具更多,优势更明显。但是这一年多时间里,中国的应对有声有色,显示了我方撑得住、耗得起、进退有据的实力基础和策略水平。另外中国社会总的来说表现出高度团结,这增加了我方态度的威慑力。

  贸易战之初,一些人怀疑中方无法将对美国农产品的购买工具化,认为中国市场已经形成对美国高质量农产品的依赖。然而事实证明,中方对美国农产品的采购变成了高度灵活的过程,这个过程对美方产生的实际影响要远大于对中国市场的副作用。美方经济和政治上都形成了对农产品问题的聚焦。

  这次对美国农产品采购的放松同时起到推动中美经贸谈判、更好满足中国市场的两个效果。这是中国长期有条不紊、协调规划各项措施的结果。中美经贸博弈看来还会延续相当一段时间,我们需要把手中的各项工具朝着作用最大化的方向运用,使它们有效服务于中国的国家利益。

  现在中美双方都越来越清楚了,两国贸易战出现一方彻底压倒另一方意志的结局完全不可能。贸易战长久拖下去只能是双输的彼此消耗。要结束贸易战,双方只能相向而行,争取形成善意互动,消化、打破业已形成的严重僵局。

  中美元首大阪会晤的共识为两国走出贸易战再次树立了目标,现在双方互释善意信号已经开始,两方磋商团队的牵头人也已两次通话,面对面的谈判即将开始。我们希望这一进程能够形成建设性的势头,而且不乏后劲,让两国元首的共识一步步结出现实的成果。
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