4/4/2019

CHINA/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump on Thursday [4-4-19] hinted the United States and China may be inching closer to finalizing a deal to end a year-long trade impasse between the world’s two largest economic superpowers within weeks. Speaking in the Oval Office, the President said a trade agreement, which he described as ‘the granddaddy of them’ could be announced ‘within the next four week or maybe less, or maybe more, whatever it takes,’ describing the possible agreement as ‘very monumental.’ He declined to confirm reports that he would hold a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month, following an afternoon meeting at the White House with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, who has been in talks with US negotiators this week in Washington. Instead, stressing ‘if there’s no deal, a summit with Xi is off’…Talks this week in Washington were yet another make-or-break moment for what has been closely held trade negotiation that has drifted beyond the ambitious 90-day clock set by the two leaders last year. The tit-for-tat trade war between the United States and China has stretched beyond the one-year mark.”

Donna Borak and Betsy Klein, “Trump says ‘granddaddy’ US-China trade pact could be done in ‘weeks’,” CNN Politics, CNN.com, April 4, 2019 10:13 pm