Tariff suspensions create good atmosphere for China, US trade talks: MOC

Reciprocal suspensions of additional tariffs are “undoubtedly” conducive to creating a good atmosphere for the China-U.S. economic and trade negotiations, Chinese commerce ministry’s spokesperson Gao Feng said Thursday.

China’s State Council said on Sunday that the country would continue to suspend additional tariffs on U.S. vehicles and auto parts after March 31, in a goodwill gesture following a U.S. decision to delay tariff hikes on Chinese imports.

China said in December it would suspend additional 25 percent tariffs on U.S.-made vehicles and auto parts for three months, following a truce in a trade dispute between the world’s two largest economies.

The two parties discussed related texts of an agreement, and achieved new progress in the eighth round of China-U.S. high-level economic and trade consultations held in Beijing, which created favorable conditions for the ongoing ninth round of talks in Washington.

The Chinese negotiation team are willing to keep making joint efforts with the U.S. counterpart to implement the important consensus reached by the two countries’ top leaders during a meeting in Argentina in December, Gao said.