CHINA APPEARS READY FOR TRADE TALKS WITH U.S.

Govt-linked social media accounts in China post messages that appear to set the stage for tariff negotiations.

Princeton, New Jersey (Pekingnology) — Messages published on Wednesday, April 30 (ET) by two well-known social media accounts in China, with established links to the Chinese government, appear to show Beijing is now ready to talk with Washington on the tariffs at the latter’s request.

Yu Yuan Tan Tian, an account on Weibo, China’s equivalent to Twitter, and known to be operated by China’s state broadcaster, said, “Before the United States takes any substantive action, China has no need to engage in talks with the U.S. However, if the U.S. wishes to initiate contact, doing so at this stage would do no harm to China either. China should observe closely — even probe to expose the true intentions of the U.S. — in order to maintain the initiative in both negotiation and confrontation.”

“In terms of engagement, we are not the side in the wrong, nor do we have anything to hide. We are open and confident.” Yu Yuan Tan Tian added.

Chairman Rabbit, a blog on WeChat operated by Ren Yi, a well-connected public opinion leader, said “China will always maintain an open attitude toward the ‘olive branches’ extended by the United States and welcomes the resolution of differences through dialogue and negotiation — after all, without talking, there is no way to understand the other side’s position or to create conditions for peaceful communication and problem-solving. This reflects the posture of a responsible major power. At the same time, as two superpowers, it is significant for both China and the U.S. to keep communication channels open, regardless of the eventual outcomes of the talks. On one hand, dialogue helps reduce information asymmetry and strategic miscalculation between the two sides, preventing conflicts from spiraling out of control. On the other hand, countries worldwide hope to see China and the United States sit down and have serious discussions. As long as China and the U.S. remain engaged in dialogue, the ongoing process can inject stability into an otherwise turbulent international landscape, serving as a so-called ‘ballast’ for global affairs.”

Chairman Rabbit also warned that Beijing is unwilling to yield to Washington on key issues, without elaboration.

Earlier this month, Chairman Rabbit warned the U.S. about potential trade retaliations that are widely seen as credible. One of the retaliations, restrictions of Hollywood films on Chinese screens, was later substantiated by a senior Chinese government official in charge of the film industry

Both accounts respectively reported that “the U.S. has actively reached out to China through multiple channels to seek economic and trade negotiations,” citing unidentified “sources.”

Beijing would be showing enormous flexibility if it soon engages with Washington on trade talks because China’s commerce ministry has publicly signaled that a precondition to negotiations would include the U.S. suspension or cancellation of its unilaterally imposed tariffs.

In ways that can be understood as setting the chair for Beijing to sit down at the negotiating table, both accounts also went to great lengths to portray the tremendous self-inflicted pressure that the White House is under as a result of its tariffs imposed on China, as well as the repeatedly discredited information out of senior U.S. officials on ongoing U.S.-China trade talks. China’s foreign ministry has previously slammed statements out of the White House and the Cabinet, sometimes by President Donald Trump, that claimed trade talks were already ongoing. (Enditem)