Events since the trade truce and resumption of trade talks between the U.S. and China are raising concern about the prospects for those talks.
China Commerce Minister Zhong Shan was listed as being on the telephone call Tuesday between U.S. and Chinese officials, but missing from the list was Commerce Vice Minister Wang Shouwen who has previously been involved.
China watcher Bill Bishop said he has “heard [Chinese leader] Xi does not like Wang, whereas Zhong worked with Xi in Zhejiang.” Bishop then said, “Or is this about concerns with Liu He?” Bishop’s Sinocism service noted this is the first time there has been a second official mentioned being in the talks with Liu.
The apparent reshuffling of the Chinese trade negotiating team is raising concern at the White House on the prospect for progress in the talks, according to the Washington Post, which noted that “Commerce Minister Zhong Shan, regarded by some White House officials as a hard-liner, has assumed new prominence in the talks.”
Meanwhile, the wait continues for China’s purchases of U.S. farm products that President Donald Trump said would take place – the only U.S. soybean sales to China announced in USDA Export Sales report for the week ended July 4 were net sales of 127,800 tonnes that reflected 140,000 tonnes of sales previously reported to unknown destinations and 12,000 tonnes of sales cancelled.
The New York Times reported China saw “large-scale purchases as contingent on progress toward a final trade deal that is still nowhere in sight.”
Plus, a Chinese government spokesperson said Wednesday that any plan to buy more U.S. farm goods still must be agreed on by both sides.
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