Negotiators Digging Trenches in U.S.- China Trade Dispute

(BEIJING, CHINA) As the U.S. China trade war continues, both sides are digging trenches for the long term. According to MarketWatch.com, China’s Commerce Minister Zhong Shang has joined the negotiations and is seen as a hard-liner against American interests. In an interview earlier in the week he called out the United States for starting the economic and trade dispute in violation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and that China must uphold the spirit of struggle in defending their national interests. The move may also signal Beijing’s interest in waiting out the next U.S. presidential election. Both sides seemed to be close to an agreement back in May before the Chinese “renigged” on the deal, according to President Trump. Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping agreed to restart the dialogue last month at a G-20 meeting. Larry Kudlow, Director of the National Economic Council and the President’s top economic advisor, said he expects China to announce significant purchases of American agriculture products soon in a good-faith effort by the Chinese to move talks forward. American farmers and ranchers have been bearing the brunt of the Chinese retaliation while China’s export’s to the U.S. fell by over eight percent in the last three months. China is also watching it’s economy slow to the lowest growth rate since records began 27 years ago.