China, US kick off new high-level talks

Washington: China and the United States kicked off here a new round of high-level talks to address their differences on outstanding economic and trade issues.

The talks, scheduled for two days, mark a significant step in the implementation of the important consensus reached by Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump during a working dinner in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 1.

The two heads of state agreed back then that the two sides should try to reach a mutually beneficial and win-win agreement within 90 days to bring an early end to their months-long trade friction featuring massive tariffs on imports from each other.

The world is watching these talks closely, with many hoping for some substantial, positive progress to be made.

Analysts have warned that the lasting trade tension between the world’s two largest economies would not only impact their own businesses, workers and consumers, but also stoke global market fears of uncertainty and disruption, and erode confidence in the long-term global economic growth.