It's very surprising! China's chief trade negotiator will make his first visit to the United States, conducting negotiations with the U.S. side in the United States! On August 26, according to foreign media reports, it was reported that Li Chenggang, vice minister of the Ministry of Commerce of China and China's chief trade negotiator, will go to Washington this week to hold trade negotiations with the United States. A source said that Li Chenggang will meet with U.S. Trade Representative Griles and senior officials from the U.S. Treasury later this week.

Evidently, this news exposed by U.S. media is indeed surprising, because the location of this trade negotiation is the United States. In fact, since the Sino-U.S. trade war, the two sides have held three rounds of negotiations. The first one was in Geneva, Switzerland, the second one in London, the United Kingdom, and the third one in Stockholm, Sweden. It is a first for the Sino-U.S. trade war to hold negotiations in the United States.

From a diplomatic perspective, choosing to hold talks in the third country aims to avoid the difference in home advantage, create a neutral and objective communication atmosphere, reduce psychological defenses and position opposition between the negotiating parties, thereby focusing more efficiently on the issues themselves and promoting the achievement of consensus. Such an arrangement for holding talks in the third country usually occurs when the relations between the two sides are tense, their positions are greatly divergent, and the topics are extremely sensitive. This time, holding talks in the United States also indicates that the positions of China and the United States may be getting closer.

In fact, before the talks, the U.S. side has continuously released some information, showing signs of softening. First, the U.S. side has repeatedly stated that both sides are close to reaching an agreement. Second, the U.S. policy on chip control has eased. Moreover, foreign media previously revealed that China is willing to purchase 500 Boeing aircraft. Therefore, it is highly likely that both sides will make concessions during this meeting, in order to achieve at least some agreements in certain areas.

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1841485594274827/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.