China’s confirmation that it is evaluating whether to reopen talks with the United States over a potential deal to de-escalate the trade war should not be interpreted as a softening of its position, as Beijing remains in no rush to engage, analysts said.
But a spokesperson from the Ministry of Commerce also said the US should remove the tariffs it had imposed on China to “demonstrate sincerity by addressing its wrong practices”, if it truly wanted to talk.
The comments represent a “positive step”, because they formally outline China’s conditions for any trade discussions with the US, said Victor Gao, vice-president of the Centre for China and Globalisation, a Beijing-based think tank.
However, the ministry statement does not reflect a change in tone from China, as Beijing is serious about making the US lower tariffs before any formal negotiations begin, according to Gao.
“I think it brings everything back to square one rather than changing the Chinese position,” he said. “My reading is that China is not in a hurry to talk to the United States. The ball is in the American court.”
