US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said yesterday that “IP (intellectual property) protection, no more forced joint ventures, and enforcement are three of the most important issues on the agenda” in trade negotiation with China.
He emphasized that “we want to make sure that when we get a deal, that deal will be enforced.” Though, he also admitted “The details of how we do that are very complicated. That needs to be negotiated. ”
Mnuchin, a relative trade dove, also said there had been “significant movement” in the trade talks so far. And he expected this week’s meetings to end with significant progress.
China’s Xinhua news agency reported that a Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier Liu He arrived in Washington yesterday, for the meeting with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. PBoC Governor Yi Gang is expected to join the meeting too. On the US side, Lighthizer will lead the talks with participation from Mnuchin, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow and White House trade and manufacturing adviser Peter Navarro.
