U.S. Downplays Hopes for China Deal Soon Amid EU, Nafta Progress
- Lighthizer sees EU, Nafta progress; China talks may take years
- China says ‘extortion’ won’t work to help reach a trade deal
Robert Lighthizer, U.S. trade representative, testifies during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing in Washington, on July 26.
Photographer: Zach Gibson/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
President Donald Trump’s trade battle with China is showing no signs of letting up, even after he made peace with the European Union and signs mounted that a tentative deal on a new Nafta may be reached next month.
The pact with the EU to refrain from new tariffs, announced Wednesday, has Bank of America Corp. economists suggesting a possible turning point in the global trade war. To celebrate the breakthrough, Trump tweeted a photo of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker greeting him with a kiss on the cheek.