Todd Bishop
After Beijing announced on September 13 that it had imposed a tariff exemption policy on the procurement of agricultural products such as soybeans and pork in the United States, the Chinese state media repeatedly issued multiple articles calling for more benign interactions between the two sides, emphasizing that seeking common ground while reserving differences is a key step in “breaking ice”.
Comprehensive media reported on September 14 that China will continue to show reconciliation posture before the new round of trade negotiations. The US Department of Agriculture confirmed on September 13 that China purchased 204,000 tons of US soybeans. Reuters quoted insiders as saying that Chinese private buyers have purchased more than 600,000 tons of US soybeans and will ship them from October to December.
For Beijing to relax restrictions on US soybeans, pork and other agricultural products, the Chinese media Xinhua News Agency, People’s Daily and the public background with official background also published “the positive interaction between China and the United States is more than good”, “seeking common ground while reserving differences is a key step in the icebreaking of China-US consultations.” Six articles, such as “Beneficial interactions to create favorable conditions for China-US consultations”, “Two days of China-US economic and trade frictions, and these two Mid-Autumn Festivals.”
Xinhua News Agency said on September 13 that a series of benign interactions showed the positive will of China and the United States to implement the consensus of the two heads of state and create favorable conditions for breaking the deadlock in the consultation. China and the United States need to find the right path to resolve differences in more benign interactions. China-US relations are at a critical crossroads. We need to show more sincerity and action, and use more wisdom and courage to create favorable conditions for promoting “real progress” in the consultations.
“The positive interaction between China and the United States is more and more good.” The “People’s Daily” article pointed out that China has always said that it must be done, and the US side should understand its promise. The Chinese side has always believed that by insisting on mutual respect and mutual benefit, it is possible to make positive interactions work together, to increase mutual trust and to make the consultation conditions better.
China Global Network said that China and the United States need to look at the current stalemate in a realistic way. Even if the trade war is caused by various reasons, it should be stopped. Beijing and Washington obviously intend to end the trade war, so now is the time when China and the United States need to comprehensively mobilize their will and wisdom to make the tough body show flexibility.
The public number “Taoran notes” with the official background of China believes that the China-US trade war has lasted for a year and a half. Seeking common ground while reserving differences is a key step in negotiating “breaking ice.” Chinese Vice Premier Liu He announced the relevant issues in advance on September 12 before the consultations. This move is very rare. “The working layers of the two sides will meet next week and will seriously exchange views on issues of common concern such as trade balance, market access and investor protection.”
The article said that from the Mid-Autumn Festival to the Mid-Autumn Festival, from the sword to the arrogance to a few degrees, more than a year to talk about beating, the different choices between China and the United States, especially the United States, to outline a very different prospects. If the US can understand more deeply that “the trade war has no winners” and calmly and on the basis of equality and mutual respect, and through consultation and cooperation with China to solve the problem, then this long-lasting trade friction will not be found. A substantive solution.
Now that we have come to the road of choice, whether the China-US consultation can “break the ice” lies in seeking common ground while reserving differences. Two roads lead to two different prospects.
According to Chinese official, the latest round of China-US trade negotiations will be held in October.
