[By Guancha Observer Network, Ruan Jiaqi]

On May 7, China announced that during his visit to Switzerland from May 9 to 12, He Lifeng, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council, as the lead negotiator for China in the China-US economic and trade talks, will hold talks with US Treasury Secretary Berten, who is the lead negotiator for the US side.

On the same day, the Foreign Ministry pointed out when introducing the situation that this meeting was held at the request of the US side, and China's firm opposition to the US abuse of tariffs has not changed. China has repeatedly emphasized its open attitude towards dialogue, but any dialogue must be based on equality, respect, and mutual benefit. Any form of pressure or coercion will not work for China.

According to a report by The New York Times on July 7, through agreeing to engage with the Trump administration on trade issues, China is attempting to demonstrate a responsible image amid the intense competition between major powers that has caused turbulence in the global financial system and raised concerns about an economic recession.

The article noted that Beijing stated its decision to agree to engage with the US was "fully considering the expectations of the global community, Chinese interests, and the calls from the US industry and consumers," indicating that this move aims to seek broader common interests; meanwhile, China also reiterated its tough stance, warning Washington not to use this round of talks as a pretext for continued coercion and extortion.

Yun Sun, director of the China Program at the Stimson Center, a Washington-based think tank, told US media, "China is trying to position itself as a responsible party while maintaining a relatively tough tone. Their message is clear: 'You Americans had better behave yourselves in these negotiations.'"

When asked who initiated the phone call between China and the US, US Treasury Secretary Berten stumbled over his words nervously. Fox News video screenshot.

Due to President Trump's initiation of the tariff chaos, the deadlock in Sino-US trade has lasted for several weeks. Since April, the US has announced tariffs of at least 145% on most Chinese goods, and China has also implemented multiple rounds of countermeasures, including imposing retaliatory tariffs of 125% on US goods.

According to reports by CNN, senior economic officials from China and the US will hold talks this week in Switzerland. This will be the first high-level dialogue between the two countries since President Trump launched the tariff war.

The New York Times quoted analysts as saying that Chinese officials may view this trade negotiation as a "fact-check." Understanding what Trump demands from China and how much he is willing to concede in negotiations will help Beijing formulate its response strategy.

Wang Xiangwei, associate professor of journalism at Hong Kong Baptist University, said, "China wants to understand Trump's true intentions, and this can only be achieved through direct dialogue."

US media analysis suggests that for China, the key issue at present is how to skillfully ease tensions under Trump's tariff stick while maintaining the dignity of a major power. This is not only crucial for China's domestic economic recovery but also an inevitable requirement to safeguard its national sovereignty and economic interests.

In addition, China is aware that with significant sell-offs in the US Treasury market and overall market turmoil, Trump's stance has retreated somewhat, giving China more confidence in the negotiations.

The New York Times added that if commodity shortages lead to rising prices, the pressure of the midterm elections in the US might also force Trump to reduce or eliminate some tariffs.

"China remains in a favorable position so far," said Scott Kennedy, a senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a US think tank.

Meanwhile, US media noted that one of the challenges for China in dealing with the Trump administration on trade issues is that the direction of US policy seems to depend on who is speaking: Peter Navarro, a senior trade advisor to the White House and the architect of many of Trump's trade plans, insists that tariffs are necessary, while Treasury Secretary Bertens supports negotiations with other trading partner countries.

According to a Reuters report, at a hearing of the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday, Bertens referred to the upcoming high-level economic and trade talks between China and the US as "negotiations" and emphasized that Navarro would not accompany him to attend the meeting in Switzerland.

At the hearing, when asked whether the talks with China were considered "advanced," Bertens replied, "I previously mentioned that we will start on Saturday. I believe this is contrary to the notion of 'progress.'"

The Economist of the UK believes that the current statements from both sides seem to indicate that "officials may just be setting the table, but they won't sit down to eat right away."

The article also warned that both Bertens and US Trade Representative Jamie Greer, who is expected to attend the Geneva conference, do not have "decisive influence" on US trade policy. A single offhand social media post by Trump could "undo months of efforts by all parties."

However, CNN pointed out that the high-level economic and trade talks between China and the US have already drawn high attention from global businesses and consumers. Any effort to ease tensions is seen as a "welcome sign," and the future of the global economy depends on the negotiations between the two countries. For businesses and consumers, even if no agreement is reached in Switzerland, the face-to-face meeting itself is encouraging.

Regarding the "ice-breaking" of this round of Sino-US trade talks, Shen Yi, a professor at the Department of International Politics of Fudan University and a columnist for the Observer Network, emphasized that China's response to the US request is not a compromise. He analogized that the current tariff war between China and the US is equivalent to the "time of Shangganling" (a reference to the Korean War).

He said, "The previous reciprocal tariff countermeasures between China and the US were like the five campaigns in the first phase of the Korean War; the second phase entered into a mixture of talking and fighting at Panmunjom, which will become the new normal."

Shen Yi said that for China, patience and confidence are needed. If it is expected that the US will make major concessions after such a dialogue, it would be unexpected; whereas, the US reversing its position at the negotiating table, saying one thing and doing another, playing tricks, and attempting to manipulate information with false information is expected. "Based on the reliable information I have received, the current situation is basically within our prediction range."

This article is an exclusive contribution by the Observer Network. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7501935497669853737/

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