China demands Trump administration to take steps before agreeing to trade talks. According to Bloomberg, the Chinese government will see a series of steps from the Trump administration before agreeing to trade talks. These steps include the administration showing more respect by withdrawing derogatory statements made by cabinet members. Further conditions include a more coherent stance from the US and a willingness to address China’s concerns regarding US sanctions and Taiwan. While President Trump has expressed himself relatively reserved about Xi Jinping in public, other members of his administration have revealed themselves as “hawks” leaving Chinese officials uncertain about the US position on the issue. The person also mentioned that China has recently expressed its displeasure over remarks made by Vice President JD Vance about “Chinese farmers.” The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Lin Jian, described the remarks as “ignorant and disrespectful” which is a rare direct rebuke from a high-ranking US official. JD Vance defended the tariffs imposed by Trump and said that the global economy has done little for the US and that the country has been borrowing money from “Chinese farmers” to buy goods produced by other countries. Finally, Beijing has demanded that the White House appoint a representative to mediate the talks, according to the person familiar with the matter. China has no preference on who the representative should be, but wants someone who speaks and acts with the authority of President Trump. Chinese officials also understand that Trump wants to personally lead the negotiations and while they would be flattered if Trump were to invest his time in the talks, they believe it would be better if appointed officials from both countries lead the negotiations.
Respect and Negotiation on Taiwan Before Trade Talks
