US and China discuss agriculture and economic policies in new round of trade talks
China promises changes to Made in China 2025 plan following complaints from US over its dominance
The US and China started the latest round of trade talks with a phone call involving Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin, US trade representative Robert Lighthizer and Chinese vice-premier Liu He. The three senior officials discussed Chinese purchases of agricultural products and changes to fundamental Chinese economic policies, said people familiar with the conversation. They did not provide further details. As part of the trade truce reached between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, Chinese officials are also considering making changes to the Made in China 2025 plan, a state-led industrial policy aimed at enabling Chinese companies to dominate a number of industries such as artificial intelligence and robotics, said people familiar with the matter. The policy is a focal point of the US’s complaints that Beijing engages in unfair trade practices that put foreign firms at a disadvantage to Chinese companies. China’s commerce ministry said the conversation was...
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