BEIJING (AP) — The Latest on China-U.S. trade talks in Beijing (all times local):
6 p.m.
Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer says U.S. and Chinese negotiators "made headway on very, very important" issues in talks on a technology dispute.
Lighthizer expressed optimism but gave no details after President Donald Trump's economic adviser said he yet to decide whether to go ahead with a March 2 tariff increase.
Business groups and economists said the two days of talks in Beijing were unlikely to be enough time to resolve the sprawling dispute. They said China's goal probably was to persuade Trump they were making enough progress to postpone the penalties.
In a courtesy call on Chinese President Xi Jinping after the talks wrapped up, Lighthizer said, "We feel we have made headway on very, very important and difficult issues. We have additional work we have to do but we are hopeful."
5:45 p.m.
Two days of U.S.-Chinese trade talks have ended with no immediate indication whether they made progress on a battle over Beijing's technology ambitions.
Delegations led by U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and his Chinese counterpart, Vice Premier Liu He, met at a government guesthouse. They left without talking to reporters.
Earlier, President Donald Trump's top economic adviser said he has yet to decide whether to go ahead with a March 2 tariff increase on Chinese imports from China. Companies and investors worry the fight between the two biggest global economies could drag on weakening world growth.
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12:00 a.m.
U.S. and Chinese envoys are holding a second day of trade talks after the top economic adviser to President Donald Trump said he has yet to decide whether to go ahead with a March 2 tariff increase on imports from China.
Business groups and economists say the two days of negotiations due to run through Friday are too brief to resolve a sprawling dispute over Beijing's technology ambitions. They say China's goal is to persuade Trump to push back the March 2 deadline.
Trump's economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, told reporters in Washington the "vibe is good" in the talks, but he said Trump has made no decision on whether to escalate the dispute by letting the March 2 tariff hike go ahead.
Both sides have expressed optimism without releasing details.
