US delegation eats stir-fried chicken and eggplant during trade negotiations with China
To show goodwill, the US and Chinese delegations ordered dishes representing each other's countries, such as hamburgers and stir-fried chicken with eggplant.
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US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer (left) and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He in Washington last month. Photo:Reuters. |
Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen revealed today that trade talks in Washington last month were so tense that Chinese Vice Premier Liu He and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer had to skip a formal lunch and order take-out.
To show goodwill and the desire to reach common ground, the heads of the two delegations ordered dishes representing each other's cultures, according toSCMP.
Mr. Liu He ate a hamburger and Mr. Lighthizer ate stir-fried chicken with eggplant. Neither of them drank coffee or tea, but drank plain water," Mr. Wang said.
"Even on the day when Washington had snow and the US government was shut down, the two delegations still negotiated. The meetings were also extended from 2 days to 4 days."
The US and China entered a trade war last year when Washington imposed tariffs on $250 billion worth of Chinese goods, prompting Beijing to retaliate with tariffs on $110 billion worth of US goods. After US President Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Argentina on December 1, 2018, a "ceasefire" was announced. Both sides agreed not to impose further tariffs on each other until March 1.
The deadline has passed, but the two sides have not yet reached an agreement to resolve the trade war. However, the US has suspended plans to increase tariffs so that the two sides can continue negotiations. A senior White House official said that Mr. Xi could meet Mr. Trump later this month or early next month.
