China wants a trade deal, but will defend its interests if necessary
- Ahead of the annual meeting of the National People’s Congress, a senior Chinese diplomat has called for a mutually beneficial agreement
- The two nations are said to be close to a deal
China is cautiously optimistic about reaching a trade war deal with the US, but it is prepared to retaliate if Washington returns to tariffs after the Xi Jinping-Donald Trump meeting expected this month, analysts said.
They made that assessment after a senior Chinese diplomat called on China and the United States to strike a trade deal and avoid a confrontation he said his country did not want, but will respond to if necessary.
Zhang Yesui, a spokesman for the National People’s Congress and a former vice foreign minister, said the two nations had achieved substantial progress in resolving their trade dispute after a meeting in Washington last month between Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He and US negotiators.
“The nature of the China-US economic and trade relationship is mutually beneficial. Therefore, I hope that both sides can seize the opportunities to continue consultation for a mutually winning agreement,” Zhang said on Monday before the NPC’s annual meeting.
But he said that China would defend its interests, if necessary, in any dispute.