Merkel Says Trade Negotiations Between China, US Impact German Business

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said during her meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing that trade negotiations between Beijing and Washington had already affected German companies, media reported Friday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th September, 2019) German Chancellor Angela Merkel said during her meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing that trade negotiations between Beijing and Washington had already affected German companies, media reported Friday.

"Trade negotiations between the United States and China have not yet ended, but this issue has already affected German enterprises," Merkel said, as quoted by the Hong Kong-based RTHK broadcaster.

The chancellor added that the strong principles of the World Trade Organization and multilateral trade fell within Germany's interests.

The officials also discussed human rights and the rule of law. Merkel expressed hope that another bilateral human rights dialogue would be organized in the coming months.

Washington and Beijing have been engaged in a trade war since summer 2018, when the United States hiked duties on $50 billion worth of Chinese imports in a bid to balance the trade deficit. Since then, the two countries have exchanged several rounds of reciprocal tariffs.

In June, US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka to discuss their trade discord and confirmed their readiness to reach a mutually acceptable agreement. On August 1, however, Trump announced the introduction of a 10 percent tariff on Chinese imports, blaming Beijing for not keeping its promise to buy more US agricultural products.

The two countries have agreed to hold a new round of trade negotiations in early October.