China has finally confirmed that the Phase One trade deal between the U.S. and China will be signed next week in Washington, with Commerce Ministry spokesman Gao Feng saying Vice Premier Liu He would travel to Washington January 13-15 to sign the pact.
Teams from the two sides remain in close communication on the signing, he noted. "The two teams have been engaging with each other closely about the text and the terms of that agreement," Gao said.
Bloomberg reported that Liu will be joined by People’s Bank of China governor Yi Gang, Commerce Minister Zhong Shan, vice minister of finance Liao Min, deputy chief of the National Development and Reform Commission Ning Jizhe, deputy international trade representative Wang Shouwen, and others. China’s ambassador to the U.S., Cui Tiankai, will also attend.
As for ag imports, Gao said that China will continue to improve the administration of its tariff rate quotas under its WTO commitments and will make full use of the quotas based on market conditions, a situation which Gao said is not inconsistent with increasing imports of ag products from the U.S.
Gao made the comments in response to a question on whether China would have to lower its grain imports from other countries to meet purchase commitments under the deal.
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