Key sticking points in the US-China trade dispute - Reuters

Reuters is out with the key points likely to be discussed today when the US Treasury Secretary Mnuchin’s delegation will meet the Chinese officials in Beijing.

The meetings set for Thursday and Friday are the highest-level in-person talks since Trump announced tariffs on $50 billion in Chinese goods in early April.

Key Sticking Points:

“TRADE GAP

The Trump administration has demanded that China immediately cut $100 billion from what it says is a $375 billion trade surplus with the United States. 

IP THEFT AND FORCED TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

U.S. complaints about Chinese intellectual property, or IP, abuses are at the core of the current dispute.

MADE IN CHINA 2025

China is looking to catch up with rivals like the United States and Germany in high-end technology by pouring billions of dollars into its “Made in China 2025” strategy to turbocharge development in 10 key sectors, including robotics, aerospace and clean-energy cars.

INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

Both countries restrict investment in key sectors, with the United States’ tightening access through its CFIUS legislation and planning to further curb Chinese access in certain industries.

CURRENCY

Trump last month accused Russia and China of devaluing their currencies while the United States raises interest rates, which Mnuchin later described as a “warning shot.”