国内英语资讯:Commentary: Constructive interactions pave way for China-U.S. trade talks

BEIJING, Sept. 14 -- A series of recent constructive interactions between China and the United States have improved the prospects for progress at the next round of high-level trade talks.

On Friday, the Mid-Autumn Festival, China said it will exclude some agricultural products such as soybeans and pork from the additional tariffs on U.S. goods, and will support domestic companies in purchasing a certain amount of U.S. farm produce in line with the rules of the market and the World Trade Organization.

The move came after the United States decided to make adjustments to the additional tariffs to be imposed on Chinese goods on Oct. 1 and added to a timeline of encouraging events since the beginning of September.

On Wednesday, China unveiled the first set of lists of U.S. goods to be excluded from the first round of additional tariffs on U.S. products. And on Sept. 5, Chinese and U.S. chief trade negotiators agreed via phone call to hold the 13th round of the China-U.S. high-level economic and trade consultations in Washington in early October and maintain close communication leading up to the talks.

The working groups of the two sides will meet next week to conduct consultations on issues of mutual concern including trade balance, market access and protection of investors.

Both sides are easing tensions and taking concrete actions to create favorable conditions for the upcoming talks, demonstrating the willingness to implement the consensus reached by the two countries' heads of state and break the stalemate.

The timing of the interactions is worth noting. On Sept. 24, 2018, which was the Mid-Autumn Festival, China was forced to roll out countermeasures against additional U.S. tariffs of 10 percent on Chinese products worth about 200 billion U.S. dollars.

On-and-off talks between the two countries over the past year have cast a shadow on the global economy, and voices urging both sides to come back to the negotiating table have grown stronger day by day.

China and the United States need to find the right path to resolving their differences and enhance mutual trust by increasing constructive interactions, as bilateral ties are not a zero-sum game and allow for win-win outcomes.

Their trade and economic cooperation over the past 40 years has shown that both countries have much to gain by joining hands. The cooperation on farm produce such as soybeans and pork is one good example.

The recent constructive interactions raised hopes that both sides could show more sincerity and take solid actions in meeting each other halfway. As China-U.S. relations stand at a critical juncture, let there be enough wisdom and courage to advance the October talks toward producing substantial progress.