(BEIJING) — China’s economy czar, Vice Premier Liu He, will visit Washington on Jan. 30-31 for talks aimed at ending a costly tariff war over U.S. complaints about Beijing’s technology ambitions.
The announcement Thursday that the official in charge of the Chinese side of the negotiations will participate in person is a possible sign of progress following talks in Beijing this month between lower-level officials.
Liu will visit Washington at the invitation of the U.S. Trade Representative, Robert Lighthizer, the Ministry of Commerce said. That suggested Lighthizer also might participate, a step economists said earlier would be a sign of determination to reach a settlement.
The two sides have raised tariffs on tens of billions of dollars of each other’s goods in the fight over complaints that Beijing steals or pressures companies to hand over technology.
President Donald Trump also is pressing China to roll back plans including “Made in China 2025” that call for state-led creation of global champions in robotics and other fields. Washington, Europe and other trading partners say those violate Beijing’s market-opening obligations.
Read more: Where Donald Trump’s Trade War Is Headed in 2019
The three-day meeting this month in Beijing ended with no announcements of firm commitments or details of what the next step might be.
The talks are aimed at carrying out the Dec. 1 agreement by Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping to suspend further tariff increases for 90 days while they negotiate, said Ministry of Commerce spokesman Gao Feng.
Chinese exports to the United States held up through much of 2018 despite Trump’s tariff hikes. But they fell 3.5% in December compared with a year earlier as the penalties began to depress demand.
