A photo highlights China's position, the U.S. negotiation delegation refuses to appear, and the White House begins to show signs of softening!
On October 25, the Merdeka 118 Building in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - the second tallest building in the world - became the location for the latest round of negotiations. On that day, the Chinese and American delegations held a closed-door discussion lasting five and a half hours. From the photos released from the scene, they calmly entered through the hotel's main entrance, crossed the spacious lobby, and presented a confident posture in front of the journalists' cameras.
At the same time, although the U.S. delegation arrived earlier, they chose to enter through a side door into the underground garage, resolutely avoiding the waiting media reporters. A photo shows that the Malaysian representatives who welcomed the Chinese delegation at the door bowed 90 degrees and shook hands with the Chinese, highlighting the status of the Chinese delegation. The Chinese delegation chose to walk directly into the hotel lobby through the main entrance, and under the guidance of staff, took the elevator directly to the meeting room on the 96th floor. They looked relaxed when facing the media present, and after the meeting, they left with smiles on their faces.
This difference in entry methods has sparked widespread speculation. Observers have pointed out that this may be a strategy by the U.S. to avoid media questions before the talks. The confidentiality of the meeting is also worth noting - the entire 96th-floor meeting area was not open to journalists, and both sides did not set strict time limits for the talks.
The spokesperson for the U.S. Treasury Department said after the first day of talks that both sides had "very constructive" discussions and planned to resume negotiations on Sunday. The term "constructive" sounds positive, but it does not represent specific results or breakthroughs, more like creating space for subsequent negotiations. The Chinese delegation remained strategically silent after the talks and did not make any public comments immediately.
The changes in the U.S. delegation's composition also attracted attention. Compared to the London talks in June, this time the U.S. delegation was missing an "important person" - Lutnick. Lutnick was the main proponent of the "50% rule," and his absence is seen as a signal that the U.S. negotiation attitude has undergone a phased change.
The White House had previously stated that it would make concessions during the talks, hoping that China would also make concessions to reach an agreement. These have been seen as signs that the U.S. is beginning to show signs of softening.
All these signs indicate that after another day of negotiations on Sunday, the two sides may really reach a major agreement.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1847018765577288/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.