China gets US tariff delay

Movement on tech unclear

BEIJING, Dec 3, (AP): Buy more US exports? Done. Tinker with technology tactics that irk Washington and other trading partners? Maybe. But scrap those plans, seen by Beijing as a path to prosperity and influence? Probably never.

The agreement by President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on a cease fire on tariffs postpones the threat of more disruption for China’s exporters and their Asian suppliers. Some economists said Xi might be ready to negotiate in earnest.

Still, Beijing gave no sign of a changed stance on technology ambitions that Washington says violate Chinese market-opening obligations and might threaten US industrial leadership.

Trump’s complaints strike at the heart of the ruling Communist Party’s stateled economic model and plans to restore China to its rightful place as a political and culture leader by creating global champions in robotics and other fields.

“It’s impossible for China to cancel its industry policies or major industry and technology development plans,” said economist Cui Fan of the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.

At his weekend meeting with Xi in Argentina, Trump agreed to postpone planned US tariff hikes on Chinese imports by 90 days while the two sides negotiate. Xi revived promises to narrow China’s multibillion-dollar trade surplus with the United States by purchasing more American exports.

The outcome was “as good as we could have expected,” the chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, William Zarit, said in a statement.

Impact

Also late Sunday, Trump said on Twitter that Beijing agreed to cut import duties on US autos. There was no Chinese confirmation of the move, which would have little impact on trade because most American vehicles sold in China are made here.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters at the White House Monday that there was an “an immediate focus on reducing auto tariffs,” though he did not provide details or timing. Asked if there was a specific agreement to remove the tariffs, he said: “yes, there was.”

Mnuchin stressed that the two leaders had detailed conversations on 142 items and said the goal now was to turn the talks into a “real agreement.” He said both leaders had extended invitations to visit their respective countries and said he expects them to meet in the “near future.”

Asian stocks markets rose Monday following the agreement. China’s main market index gained 2.7 percent, while Tokyo rose 1 percent. Hong Kong, Sydney and Seoul also advanced.

Trump’s promise gives Xi political room to negotiate after Beijing said earlier talks were impossible while Washington “holds a knife” of tariff threats to China’s throat. But both leaders face a mix of economic nationalists, free trade advocates and other conflicting forces at home.

Positive

The outcome wasn’t the result of a “significant change” by China, Louis Kuijs of Oxford Economics said in a report. Washington instead chose to see Beijing’s argument that it already is making changes “in a more positive light.”

One sign of how far apart the two sides are: China’s foreign minister announced in Buenos Aires that Trump agreed to stop raising tariffs, rather than that he promised a 90-day suspension. Wang Yi failed to mention industrial policy or Trump’s demand that Beijing make progress toward changing it or face renewed increases.

Those omissions suggest Beijing doesn’t recognize how important those demands are to Trump, said Nick Marro of the Economist Intelligence Unit.

“As a result we expect trade hostilities to resume in 2019,” Marro said in a report.

Trump imposed a tariff hike of 25 percent on $50 billion of Chinese imports in July over complaints Beijing steals or pressures companies to hand over technology. Trump hit an additional $200 billion of Chinese goods with a 10 percent tariff that had been due to rise to 25 percent on Jan. 1.

China retaliated by raising its own charges on US imports.

Beijing has tried without success to recruit France, Germany, Japan and other government as allies against Trump. They dislike the American president’s tactics but echo US complaints about market barriers.

In this file photo, US President Donald Trump, and Chinese President Xi Jinping pose at the Forbidden City in Beijing. US President Donald Trump boasted December 3, 2018 that US relations have taken a “BIG leap forward” with his meeting in Argentina with President Xi Jinping. (AFP)