Trump Optimistic on Trade Deal With China

U.S. President Donald Trump expressed some optimism on Thursday about potentially reaching a trade deal with China. However, in the same breath, the New York Times says the president may consider leaving some tariffs in place even if the two sides eventually come to a landmark deal. “Without the tariffs, we wouldn’t even be talking,” Trump says in an interview with the Times, conducted after two days of trade talks wrapped up. “And I made that point very clear to them.” Trump says he plans on meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping next month, and the U.S. President says China was prepared to make “some significant changes” to Beijing’s economic policies. Some of the changes include better market access for American companies, as well as buying more American products. The president had a letter from President Xi read aloud for reporters, and it included a commitment to buy five million tons of soybeans. That caught administration officials a little off guard. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer was more guarded in his tone, saying the two sides haven’t put together the framework of an agreement yet. He did say the main achievement so far was, “that the two sides are still talking. It didn’t come off the rails.”