US, China Officials Expected To Meet On Aug. 15 To Discuss Compliance With ‘Phase One’ Trade Deal

Top U.S. and Chinese officials are expected to meet on Aug. 15 to discuss Beijing’s compliance with the “Phase One” trade deal signed in January, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday. The deal requires China to buy $200 billion in U.S. imports over the next two years, with Washington suspending planned tariff increases on Chinese products.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He are expected to take part in the talks. Liu is also expected to address the U.S. crackdown on Chinese tech companies such as Bytedance and its popular TikTok application.

“He would want to discuss how the U.S. can work toward not surprising the Chinese with daily policy actions,” a person briefed on the matter told the Journal, referring to Liu.

Lighthizer told the House Ways and Means Committee in June that China was on track to fulfill its commitments to buy American agricultural goods.

"Every contact I've had with the Chinese, they have reaffirmed their commitment to upholding the purchase agreement," he said. Lighthizer claimed China bought $1 billion worth of American cotton this year.

President Trump has previously said in May that he is “torn” about ending the deal, due to the impact of the coronavirus. Trump has blamed China for the pandemic and warned Beijing of retaliation if it fails to meet its purchase commitments under the “Phase One” agreement.

The “Phase One” deal was an important truce amid the trade war between the two countries. Trump began slapping tariffs on Chinese goods in 2018 in order to make the U.S. more competitive and revive American manufacturing.

China has also enacted tariffs of its own on U.S. products, such as seafood. Critics believe the trade war has devastated the American agriculture sector and resulted in farmers becoming too dependent on federal assistance.