Issues Remain, But Talks To Continue In Washington

Top US trade negotiator Robert Lighthizer told President Xi Jinping on Friday that "very difficult issues" remained after two days of US-China trade talks in Beijing, but both sides have agreed to continue the talk in Washington next week.

"We have had two very good days of negotiations," US Trade Representative Lighthizer told Xi at the beginning of a meeting attended by top American and Chinese negotiators.

"We feel that we have to make headway on some very, very important and very difficult issues. We have additional work to do but we are hopeful," Lighthizer said.

Top officials from the world's two biggest economies held two days of talks hoping to make progress to stave off an escalation of their tariff war.

"We all believe that China-US relations have broad common interests in safeguarding world peace and stability and promoting global economic prosperity and development. This is a common interest of us both," Xi told the US negotiators at the start of the meeting.

The president also said that the talks will continue in Washington next week.

Lighthizer was joined by US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and other US officials around a conference table at the Great Hall of the People with Xi and top trade negotiator Liu He, foreign minister Wang Yi, central bank chief Yi Gang and others after the two days of trade negotiations concluded. (AFP, RTHK)