US-China made no progress in deputy-level trade talks: SCMP

[BENGALURU] The United States and China made no progress in deputy-level trade talks held during Monday and Tuesday in Washington, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported, citing unnamed sources with knowledge of the meetings.

The first minister-level meetings between the two countries in more than two months is set to begin on Thursday.

The Chinese delegation, headed by Vice Premier Liu He, is planning to leave Washington on Thursday after just one day of minister-level meetings, the report said.

Beijing's negotiating team had previously planned to leave Washington late on Friday, the report added.

China refused to talk about forced technology transfer and also skirted the issue of state subsidies during the deputy-level meetings, SCMP said, citing a source with knowledge of the meetings.

The two sides have been at loggerheads over US demands that China improve protections of American intellectual property, end cyber theft and the forced transfer of technology to Chinese firms, curb industrial subsidies and increase US companies' access to largely closed Chinese markets.

Without significant progress during the talks, US President Donald Trump is set to hike the tariff rate on US$250 billion worth of Chinese goods to 30 per cent from 25 per cent next Tuesday.

REUTERS