CHINA/NORTH KOREA/TECHNOLOGY/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Chinese negotiators are preparing to offer the United States a mammoth package of promises to buy more American goods, in a bid to pare down the trade deficit between the two countries and to defuse President Trump’s aggressive moves against China’s trade practices. The package, which officials said could approach the $200 billion in trade concessions that the administration requested from the Chinese government earlier this month, would allow Mr. Trump to claim a major victory in his campaign to rebalance America’s trade relationship with its biggest economic rival. But economists said any Chinese promises would be largely illusory, given the structural hurdles in China to buying more American exports. And critics say it could impair Mr. Trump’s more ambitious agenda to punish China for pressuring American companies to hand over valuable technology. The negotiations with Beijing come at a critical moment for Mr. Trump, four weeks before he is to meet the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, for talks about giving up his nuclear arsenal. Twice in the last month, Mr. Kim has traveled to China to confer with President Xi Jinping. Some administration officials said they believed China was using its influence over North Korea as leverage to push Mr. Trump for a trade deal.”
-Mark Landler and Ana Swanson, “China Plans to Offer Major Trade Concessions, but Skepticism Abounds,” The New York Times online, May 17, 2018