To end trade war US, China initiate talks in Beijing

Face-to-face talks between China and the United States have begun in Beijing on Monday in order to seek a resolution over the ongoing trade war between the two countries.

According to the South China Morning Post, the delegation of US officials, headed by Deputy US Trade Representative Jeffrey Gerrish, would be focusing on the offers and demands to strike a deal with their Chinese counterparts.

On further information from a Chinese government adviser, the Hong-Kong based newspaper reported that a deal would probably be reached amid the presence of senior officials, including Vice-Premier Liu He and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, the top negotiators for both the countries.

"The vice-ministerial talks won't solve all the problems but both sides are expected to take the chance to check their respective demands and offers and to check any chance to reach a trade deal," the Chinese adviser said.

"Both sides are close to finding a solution to address the trade imbalance, and China is open to moving on some of its structural problems in the economy. It will also take steps towards market-oriented competition, but the US should realise that it takes time ... otherwise it leaves no room for negotiation," he added.

Last week, US President Donald Trump had announced that both the world economies are likely to achieve a breakthrough in the month-long dispute with tariffs reaching more than USD 300 billion of each other's goods, ChannelNews Asia reported.

"I think we will make a deal with China," Trump said on Friday.

"We have a massive trade negotiation going on with China. President Xi is very much involved, so am I. We're dealing at the highest levels and we're doing very well," the President added.

This visit has been held in a follow-up to President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping's meeting in December, last year, on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Argentina.