Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, U.S. President Donald
Trump and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer all said good progress
continues to be made in trade negotiations after two days of meetings in Washington.
Trump said he believes a deal could be finalized as early as
May, but added it could take longer.
He said two issues yet to be resolved are tariffs and
intellectual property rights.
They have been the key issues since the beginning of
negotiations to head off escalation of the tariff war touched off by Trump with
retaliation from China.
Relations among Canada, Mexico and Canada remain stalled,
also over Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum and retaliatory tariffs imposed
by Canada and Mexico. Canada and Mexico have said they will not ratify Trump’s
new free trade deal for the three unless and until the tariffs are withdrawn.
