Ministry of Commerce Presser on the China-U.S. Economic and Trade Consultations
A translation
Here’s a quick machine translation (Claude) of the Q&A from a press conference held by a spokesperson from the Ministry of Commerce. This focuses on the U.S.-China consultations in Korea the day before the summit began. We’re all looking for details on deliverables from the summit. Well here’s a batch! Highlights mine. Chinese original below and here.
Spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce Answers Reporters’ Questions on the Preliminary Outcomes of China-U.S. Economic and Trade Consultations
Q: On May 14, the heads of state of China and the United States held a meeting and announced that the economic and trade teams of the two countries had reached overall balanced and positive outcomes. Could the Ministry of Commerce share more details about the outcomes of these consultations?
A: The heads of state of China and the United States met in Beijing and held in-depth discussions on economic and trade issues, charting the course and providing strategic guidance for the further development of bilateral economic and trade relations. President Xi Jinping pointed out that the essence of China-U.S. economic and trade relations is mutual benefit and win-win cooperation. The overall balanced and positive outcomes achieved by the two countries’ economic and trade teams are good news for the peoples of both nations and for the world, and the two sides should work together to safeguard the hard-won positive momentum currently in place.
On May 13, the economic and trade teams of China and the United States held consultations in the Republic of Korea, laying the groundwork in the economic and trade domain for the meeting between the two heads of state. Guided by the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, and upholding the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation, the two sides conducted candid, in-depth, and constructive exchanges and consultations on resolving each other’s economic and trade concerns and further expanding practical cooperation. Subsequently, the two sides held intensive consultations on the specific content of the outcomes and reached positive consensus.
To date, the preliminary outcomes achieved by the two sides in the economic and trade domain mainly include the following:
First, the two sides will continue to effectively implement the outcomes of previous consultations and have formed positive consensus on relevant tariff arrangements.
Second, the two sides have agreed to establish a Trade Council and an Investment Council to discuss their respective concerns in the areas of trade and investment. The two sides will discuss matters such as tariff reductions on relevant products through the Trade Council, and have agreed in principle to reduce tariffs on products of mutual concern on a comparable scale.
Third, the two sides will resolve, or substantively advance the resolution of, certain non-tariff barriers and market access issues concerning agricultural products. The U.S. side will actively work to address China’s long-standing concerns regarding the automatic detention of dairy and aquatic products, the export of substrate-grown bonsai to the United States, and the recognition of Shandong as an avian-influenza-free zone, among others. The Chinese side will likewise actively work to address U.S. concerns regarding the registration of beef facilities and the export of poultry meat from certain states to China.
Fourth, the two sides have agreed to expand two-way trade in areas including agricultural products through arrangements such as mutual tariff reductions on a defined range of products.
Fifth, the two sides have reached arrangements regarding China’s procurement of aircraft from the United States and the U.S. side’s assurance of the supply of aircraft engines and components to China, and have agreed to continue advancing cooperation in related areas.
The positive outcomes of the China-U.S. economic and trade consultations demonstrate that, by upholding the spirit of mutual respect, equality, and reciprocity, and through dialogue and cooperation, the two sides are capable of finding solutions to their problems. The two sides are still holding consultations on the specifics of the relevant outcomes. The economic and trade teams of both countries will, in keeping with the direction of consensus set by the two heads of state, work to finalize the outcomes as soon as possible and jointly ensure their effective implementation, so as to inject greater certainty and stability into the next phase of China-U.S. economic and trade cooperation and into the world economy.
商务部新闻发言人就中美经贸磋商初步成果答记者问
问：5月14日，中美两国元首举行会晤，宣布中美经贸团队达成了总体平衡积极的成果。请问商务部能否介绍经贸磋商成果更多情况？
答：中美两国元首在北京举行会晤，深入讨论经贸问题，为两国经贸关系发展进一步指明了航向，提供了战略指引。习近平主席指出，中美经贸关系的本质是互利共赢，两国经贸团队达成了总体平衡积极的成果，这对两国老百姓、对世界都是好消息，双方应一道维护好当前来之不易的良好势头。
5月13日，中美经贸团队在韩国举行经贸磋商，为两国元首会晤作了经贸领域的准备。磋商中，双方以元首重要共识为指引，秉持相互尊重、和平共处、合作共赢的原则，就解决彼此关注的经贸问题和进一步拓展务实合作进行了坦诚、深入、富有建设性的交流磋商。此后，双方就成果具体内容进行了密集磋商，取得了积极共识。
目前，双方在经贸领域达成的初步成果主要有以下几方面：
一是双方继续落实好前期磋商成果，并就有关关税安排形成积极共识。
二是双方同意成立贸易理事会和投资理事会，讨论双方贸易投资领域各自关切。双方将通过贸易理事会讨论有关产品降税等问题，原则同意对同等规模的各自关注产品降税。
三是双方将解决或实质性推动解决部分农产品非关税壁垒和市场准入问题。美方将积极推动解决中方在乳制品和水产品自动扣留、介质盆景输美、山东禽流感无疫区认定等方面的长期关切。中方也将积极推动解决美方牛肉设施注册、部分州禽肉输华等关切。
四是双方同意通过一定范围产品的相互降税等安排，推动扩大包括农产品在内等领域的双向贸易。
五是双方就中方向美方采购飞机以及美方保障飞机发动机、零部件对华供应等达成有关安排，同意继续推进相关领域合作。
中美经贸磋商取得积极成果，说明双方秉持相互尊重、平等互惠的精神，通过开展对话与合作，是能够找到解决问题的办法的。目前双方仍在就有关成果的细节进行磋商。双方经贸团队将按照两国元首确定的共识方向，尽快锁定成果，共同做好落实，为下一步的中美经贸合作与世界经济注入更多确定性和稳定性。