Ahead of Meeting in Beijing Chinese Media Tells U.S. Not to Expect Much

US and China will meet for the first time at a high level since Russia's attack on Ukraine as Biden tries to get Beijing's help with the war.

Officials from both China and the United States are to meet in Beijing this week to discuss issues of mutual interest regarding trade and business ties between the two countries.

However, CNBC reports that state-owned Chinese media Global Times has warned the U.S. delegation not to expect that Beijing will agree to all of their demands.

“Washington had better not expect that its trade-war stick will force Beijing to take whatever the U.S. delegation offers. The imminent dialogue must be held on an equal footing and the U.S. delegation has to come with sincerity,” said a Global Times editorial published on Wednesday.

The U.S. delegation, consisting of Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, White House trade and manufacturing adviser Peter Navarro and National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow, will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s top economic adviser, Vice Premier Liu He on Thursday and Friday.

“The composition of the U.S. delegation indicates the importance Washington attaches to China-US trade. We hope this can also be shown in how flexible the delegation will be in negotiations. China won’t abandon its principles despite pressure,” the Global Times said.

According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying, the talks will be constructive only if the United States comes in good faith. However, considering the complexity of the issues at hand, not everything can be resolved by just one round of talks, she added.

A China Daily editorial noted that if the U.S. delegation comes to China in hopes to make it open its doors just to appease it, they would be wasting their time. Beijing did, however, reiterate its commitment to opening up its economy, including relaxing rules on investments by foreign auto companies and strengthening intellectual property rights protection.

On Tuesday, Lighthizer said he viewed the talks as the start of a long learning process for Washington and Beijing to better manage their trade differences. Ross similarly said he had “some hope” agreements could be reached to resolve the trade tensions between the two sides.

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