According to Chinese state media, Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, the confidante of President Xi Jinping, and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had a phone call early Saturday to discuss the ongoing trade issues between both countries.
On the call, the Chinese Vice Premier made it clear that China would defend its rights and interests. This call has been considered the highest contact amongst the government officials, since the issue of the increased tariffs sanctioned by President Donald Trump and has also been considered a turning point in the present tense situation.
Liu, irrespective of these issues, expressed on the call that a rational attitude is still expected from both sides, as this would be suitable for Chinese and U.S. trade and for global economic conditions.
He has stated that the U.S. has violated the international trade laws and the act has no global interests. This statement was made after U.S. officials had said to have conducted an eight-month investigation under the 1974 U.S. Trade Act and claimed to have found that China engages in unfair trade practices. They claimed that American investors are being forced to hand over key technologies to Chinese firms.
The Vice Premier also said, on Saturday, that China was ready to defend its national interests after the Trump administration told China to take off $100 billion of its $375 billion trade surplus with the US during a visit by Liu to Washington in early March where he had made some requests concerning the ongoing China-U.S. issues. China then announced future intentions of an additional $3 billion on US imports. The major aim is the Soybean import which would significantly weaken the struggling U.S. agricultural sector.
