China vice premier Li: Willing to cooperate with the US on trade balance, market access and investors’ protection

Comments in Xinhua

  • China willing to reach agreement on matters that both sides care about and to prevent friction from further escalation
  • China-US economic and trade relations are very important, with global influence
  • Chinese side came with great sincerity
  • China willing to reach agreement on matters both sides care about
  • Willing to cooperate with the US on trade balance, market access and investors’ protection
Those three issues are key factors for the US. Assume the trade balance comment refers to buying agricultural products. Market access and investor protection is more vague. It could mean ending technology transfer but it could be something far less.
Overall, it’s fairly transparent what China is offering but the US has said previously it doesn’t want a small deal, it wants a big deal. That’s obviously not on the table now and it will be up to the US to decide whether they want escalation or de-escalation.