'Intelligent Reformer': China's Liu He Seeks A Trade Deal
Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88) Published May 10, 2019 | 02:00 PM
China's top trade negotiator and Vice Premier Liu He, a Harvard-educated economist, is putting his reformer credentials to the test in months of fraught negotiations with American officials
Beijing, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th May, 2019 ) :China's top trade negotiator and Vice Premier Liu He, a Harvard-educated economist, is putting his reformer credentials to the test in months of fraught negotiations with American officials.
President Xi Jinping's right-hand man on economic issues has managed months of tricky negotiations with US officials in an attempt to hammer out a pact.
On his current trip, Beijing described him as the "leader in charge of the China-US comprehensive economic dialogue" -- a change from his title of Xi's "special envoy" on his last trip to Washington.
The omission could allow Xi to avoid having his name tied to any failure in the talks.
His task was made harder Friday when the US once again raised tariffs on a large portion of the goods China ships across the Pacific, reigniting tensions that Liu had worked hard to dampen.
Liu admitted he was "under pressure" as he arrived for the talks in Washington on Thursday.
"Under the current circumstances, raising tariffs is not a good way to resolve the problems, it is harmful to China, harmful to the US, and harmful to the world," Liu said.
The long-winded negotiations have been rocky from the start.
Last spring Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Liu thought they had struck a deal, with Liu saying they had reached a "consensus" and there would not be a trade war or new tariffs.
Weeks later US President Donald Trump moved ahead with new tariffs -- eventually hitting $250 billion worth of imports from China -- leading many observers to say it damaged Liu's political standing.
Beijing fired back with tariffs on most US imports.
Liu is "intelligent and diligent and throws himself into his work," said He Liping of Beijing Normal University, who collaborated with Liu for nearly 20 years as a member of the Chinese Economists 50 Forum, a think tank of liberal economists.
The negotiations have carried on for 11 rounds of high-level face-to-face talks, with the 67-year-old Liu and his American counterparts following up on video calls.
Chinese Commerce Minister Zhong Shan described the talks as "very difficult and taxing" with both sides working "day and night".
But this week Trump accused Beijing of backtracking on already-agreed commitments.
Washington wants far-reaching changes to the Chinese economy, such as subjecting state-owned enterprises (SOEs) to market principles and reducing their massive subsidies.
While Liu has indicated he favours such reforms, he likely faces deep resistance from entrenched interests in Beijing.
"Executives at state-owned enterprises are officials. Today you're manager of a central SOE, next year you're vice governor of Shandong province," explained economist Sheng Hong.
"SOEs are their interests, they can move to one and make lots of money. Why would they want reform?" -
Related Topics
Recent Stories
HEC reviews curricula for environmental sciences degree programme
ICC Asia looking forward to an action-packed Asia Cricket Week
Yuvraj Singh named ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Ambassador
Greece hands Olympic flame to 2024 Paris Games hosts
Two Kyiv hospitals evacuating over feared Russian strikes
World must act on neurotech revolution, say experts
Charles & Catherine's cancer diagnoses
Champions Alcaraz and Sabalenka through in Madrid Open
King Charles to resume some public duties during cancer treatment: palace
US defense chief announces $6 bn in security aid for Ukraine
Heavy rains cause damage to Spezand-Taftan railway track
Woman stabbed in Israel, attacker killed: police
More Stories From Business
-
Finance minister reviews progress on FBR digitalization
1 hour ago -
US stocks rebound on tech earnings, London hits new record
1 hour ago -
US approves gene therapy treatment for hemophilia
1 hour ago -
KATI president for inclusion of agri sector in tax net
1 hour ago -
Ahsan chairs 13th CPEC-JCC preparatory meeting, reviews arrangements for high-level delegation’s v ..
3 hours ago -
Police to take every step for security of business community: IGP
3 hours ago
-
WB director, Planning minister discuss reforms in development projects
3 hours ago -
IP rights crucial in achieving SDG : Jam Kamal
4 hours ago -
FBR’s data protection efforts commended by OECD assessment team
4 hours ago -
US stocks rebound on tech earnings, London hits new record
5 hours ago -
SECP-IFSB workshop highlights Pakistan's progress in Islamic Finance Development
5 hours ago -
SBP to announce monetary policy on April 29
5 hours ago