【By Observer News, Wang Kaiwen】With the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit approaching, US President Trump said earlier that he expects to reach a "fantastic deal" with China on trade.

According to the South China Morning Post, Sean Stein, president of the US-China Business Council, said at the Bund Annual Meeting on October 25 that Trump himself initiated the trade war, which led to the current situation. For Trump, if he wants to reach a "fantastic deal" with China, he needs to go back to the state before the trade war started.

Sean Stein, president of the US-China Business Council, Oriental IC

"I think what will happen next is already quite clear," Stein said. In his view, the 90-day tariff suspension between the US and China "will undoubtedly be extended." As for Trump, he will only ask China three things: the fentanyl issue, resuming soybean purchases, and rare earth supply.

"But the problem is that all these issues have to be raised because Trump started the trade war in the first place," Stein said. He added that for Trump, a "fantastic deal" means turning back the clock to the state before the so-called "liberation day" tariffs were implemented.

Stein said that compared to Trump's first term, China's negotiation strategy has changed.

He explained that during Trump's 1.0 era, China's negotiation strategy was to respond to US actions in an equal manner. However, in Trump's 2.0 era, so far, although China still mainly uses equal countermeasures, the countermeasures have been somewhat upgraded.

Stein said that China hopes to show that it also has initiative. "In short, if the Trump administration forces the other party to yield through 'escalation,' now China is using 'escalation' to educate."

Stein made these remarks as the Chinese side's chief negotiator, Vice Premier He Lifeng, and the US side's chief negotiators, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Trade Representative Katherine Tai, held Sino-US economic and trade consultations in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from October 25 to 26.

According to Xinhua News Agency, both sides had candid, in-depth, and constructive exchanges on important economic and trade issues of mutual concern, such as the US 301 measures on maritime logistics and shipbuilding industries, extending the tariff suspension period, fentanyl tariffs and law enforcement cooperation, agricultural product trade, and export controls, based on the important consensus reached in the recent communications between the two heads of state. Both sides reached a basic consensus on arrangements to address each other's concerns. They agreed to further determine specific details and fulfill their respective domestic approval procedures.

The South China Morning Post reported that after the talks ended on October 27, Griles stated that this round of discussions between the US and China had "brought both sides to a stage where a productive meeting between leaders can be facilitated."

The 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Informal Meeting will be held in South Korea from October 31 to November 1. Whether the leaders of China and the US will meet has become a focus of attention.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jia Kun responded to questions on October 24, saying that China and the US are maintaining close communication on the meeting between the two heads of state. If there is any further information, the Chinese side will release it in a timely manner.

This article is an exclusive article by Observer News. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7565737121495990810/

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