China’s government said on Thursday it has made plans with Washington for talks in January aimed at ending a tariff battle that threatens to depress global trade.
“Intensive” telephone calls will continue in the meantime, Gao Feng, the ministry’s spokesman told reporters, adding that consultations had been progressing steadily despite the Christmas holiday in the US. “Even as the US side is in the Christmas holiday period, China and the US economic and trade teams have been in close communication, and the consultations are progressing in an orderly manner as scheduled,” Gao said.
Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping agreed on December 1 to postpone more tariff hikes for 90 days while their governments negotiate over US complaints Beijing steals or pressures foreign companies to hand over technology.