China Daily reported today: U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen believes the U.S. is "ready to reach an agreement with China" and is "optimistic" about the future.
Yellen wrote in a X post that was later deleted on Friday (August 1): "The negotiations this week in Stockholm advanced our dialogue with China, and I believe we are now ready to reach an agreement that benefits our two great nations."
Comments: From the timing perspective, the tariff truce agreement expires on August 12. Releasing the signal that "the conditions for reaching an agreement are in place" at this time is both to reassure the domestic market and to send a message to China that "there has been progress in the negotiations," creating an atmosphere for finalizing the agreement. However, the so-called "benefits for both countries" still depends on whether the U.S. truly abandons the hegemonic logic of "America First." The initial consensus between China and the U.S. on tariffs and rare earth issues was based on equal consultation. If the U.S. continues to seek "concessions" through pressure, the so-called "optimistic prospects" will only be a mirage.
In the end, the foundation of the China-U.S. economic and trade agreement is mutual benefit and win-win results, not a "gift" from one side to the other. For Yellen's "optimism" to take root, the U.S. must show genuine sincerity—stop politicizing economic and trade issues, respect market rules and the core interests of both sides. Otherwise, no matter how high-profile the statements are, they cannot conceal the substantive differences behind the negotiations.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1839303221529671/
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