BEIJING: The Chinese and US delegations convened in Madrid on Sunday for talks on economic and trade issues, the Xinhua News Agency reported. In the coming days, the two sides will discuss issues such as the US unilateral tariff measures, the abuse of export controls and TikTok, a spokesperson with China’s Ministry of Commerce said on Friday.
The Chinese delegation is headed by Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, according to Xinhua.
On Sunday afternoon local time, a CGTN video reported that the Chinese delegation, headed by He, arrived by car at the Santa Cruz Palace in Madrid for trade discussions with the US. CGTN footage showed media assembling outside the venue, with cameras flashing.
China’s position on the TikTok issue is clear and consistent, the spokesperson said. China is firmly committed to safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of its enterprises and will handle the TikTok issue in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations. As agreed by China and the US, He is scheduled to lead a delegation to Spain from September 14 to 17, a spokesperson with the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Friday.
As a continuation of previous rounds of talks in Geneva, London and Stockholm, the Spain meeting will offer another chance for the world’s two largest economies to avoid escalating trade disputes, analysts said.
In August, China and the US released a joint statement after their meeting in Stockholm, Sweden, following what the Chinese side described as “in-depth, candid and constructive exchanges” at the end of July. Both sides agreed to continue suspending the imposition of a 24 percent tariff for another 90 days starting August 12, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
A commentary published by the People’s Daily on Sunday urged the US to focus on the overall picture of China-US trade relations. “We hope that the US will work with China to engage in reciprocal, equal-footed dialogue to enhance trust, ease misunderstandings and deepen cooperation,” it said.
Experts said that the talks signal both sides’ willingness to seek common ground and potential breakthroughs through dialogue, which could provide more certainty for bilateral ties and global trade. But they warned that US pressure tactics ahead of the talks will not succeed, as China’s resolve to safeguard its core interests will not change.
“The new round of dialogue indicates that despite differences on certain key issues, the China-US economic and trade consultation mechanism is operating in a stable and effective way, and dialogue itself is a positive signal,” Xin Qiang, an expert on US studies at Fudan University, told the Global Times. –The Daily Mail-Global Times news exchange item
