US mulls removing most sanctions levied on Chinese products: WSJ

WASHINGTON (Kyodo) The United States may remove most, if not all, sanctions levied against Chinese products since last year, with leaders of the two countries to possibly complete a trade deal in a March 27 meeting, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.

Washington and Beijing are in the "final stage of completing a trade deal," with the latter offering to lower tariffs and other restrictions on U.S. farm, chemical, auto and other products, the newspaper said, quoting anonymous people on both sides briefed on the issue. The Wall Street Journal's sources said some hurdles remain and that each side faces possible resistance at home for the terms being too favorable to the other side.

Despite their differences, the bilateral talks have progressed to the extent that a formal agreement could be reached at an envisioned Trump-Xi summit, to be held after the Chinese leader finishes a trip to Italy and France, the journal said. The U.S. president said earlier he is possibly looking to hold a meeting with Xi at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

Washington has so far imposed tariffs of up to 25 percent on $250 billion of Chinese imports, with Trump calling on China to reduce its massive trade surplus with the United States and to end the country's allegedly unfair business practices. In retaliation, Beijing levied tariffs on more than 80 percent of all U.S. imports.

Source: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20190304/p2g/00m/0bu/032000c