The US begins 'soft dialogue' with China on trade.
The US Commerce Secretary said that the US and China are beginning a "soft dialogue" on trade issues between the two countries.
According to RIA Novosti, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told ABC News on April 13 that the US and China have begun a "soft" dialogue on trade through intermediaries.
"I think we're taking a soft approach, through intermediaries," Lutnick noted when answering a question about the interaction between Beijing and Washington on the topic of trade.
According to Secretary Lutnick, the US administration expects that US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will be able to resolve the current conflicts.
"President Donald Trump is in charge. He knows how to play this game. He knows how to deal with President Xi," the US Commerce Secretary added.
White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett announced the start of discussions on trade relations between the two countries.
Currently, the retaliatory tariffs imposed by the US on goods imported from China are 145%, and China has responded with tariffs of 125%.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the US "could reach an agreement with allies" to form a negotiating team with China.
In addition, other White House officials said the administration had “proposals on the table” from more than 15 economies.
Trump administration officials have so far only spoken in general terms about the ultimate goal of removing barriers and reversing the U.S. trade deficit. However, according to observers, persuading foreign governments to reverse key policies has proven to be a time-consuming process.
