‘Good to see you’: US, Chinese negotiators resume trade talks

TIL Desk/Business/Beijing/ Top US and Chinese trade negotiators resumed talks on Wednesday as they an eye an endgame to a months-long dispute that has hit businesses with bruising tariffs.

Vice Premier Liu He, a close aide to President Xi Jinping on economic matters, greeted US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to begin what the US side has described as a decisive phase in the talks.

The world’s two leading economies have exchanged tariffs on 360 billion worth of goods since President Donald Trump launched a trade war last year.

Mnuchin and Lighthizer exchanged pleasantries with Liu when they arrived at the Diaoyutai state guest house on Wednesday, with the US treasury chief pointing to his red tie and smiling at the vice premier, who wore the same colour.

“Morning. Good to see you,” Liu told the Americans, to which Mnuchin replied: “Nice to see you. It’s good to be back here.” Mnuchin told reporters earlier that he had a “nice” working dinner with Liu on Tuesday night.