China Urges Trump to Lift Tariffs

China wants the United States to commit to lifting tariffs to reach a phase one trade agreement. The South China Morning Post reports Beijing needs America to be more responsive to its concerns, if it wants Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit the U.S. to sign the deal. There’s been no firm commitment by the U.S. to delay a December round of tariffs, and China also appears to want the U.S. to lift its recent round of tariffs from September.

China says that without a move by President Trump to make a “solid commitment” towards removing tariffs, scheduling a visit to the U.S. to sign the agreement “would be politically difficult.” U.S. officials have suggested they meet in Alaska, Iowa or Hawaii to sign the agreement. The two sides originally planned to sign the agreement on the sidelines of a now-canceled meeting in Chile.

Sources close to the China talks say China fears it may have made too many concessions in the agreement.

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