Trump administration trade officials have finished two days of negotiations in Washington, D.C. with representatives of the Chinese government. In a joint statement, the sides agreed to work toward the reduction of the U.S. goods trade deficit with China, and said that intellectual property protections are important, but outlined no specific commitments.
Said Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM) President Scott Paul:
"American workers and businesses need a level playing field in China. I don't think the joint statement moves us in any significant way toward that goal. Sometimes it's better to walk away from the negotiating table to reinforce the point to China that our resolve is strong.
"We need more details, but I'm not encouraged by the direction these talks are headed."