U.S. calls March 1 'hard deadline' for trade deal with China

BUSINESS

U.S. calls March 1 ‘hard deadline’ for trade deal with China

U.S. Trade Rep. Robert Lighthizer speaks next to U.S. President Donald Trump, remarking on the United States, Mexico, Canada Agreement (USMCA), from the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington Oct. 1. The U.S. negotiator in charge of trade talks with China said Sunday he considers March 1 to be a 'hard deadline' for reaching an agreement that would avert an intensifying trade war. | AFP-JIJI

Reuters

Dec 10, 2018

WASHINGTON – U.S.-China trade negotiations need to reach a successful end by March 1 or new tariffs will be imposed, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said on Sunday, clarifying there is a “hard deadline” after a week of seeming confusion among President Donald Trump and his advisers.

Global markets are jittery about a collision between the world’s two largest economic powers over China’s huge trade surplus with the United States and U.S. claims that China is stealing intellectual property and technology.

“As far as I am concerned it is a hard deadline. When I talk to the president of the United States he is not talking about going beyond March,” Lighthizer said on the CBS show “Face the Nation,” referring to President Donald Trump’s recent decision to delay new tariffs while talks proceed.