US and China issued a joint statement on Saturday to conclude the trade talks with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He on May 17 and 18. There was no mentioning of any number, but the statement said there were “consensus on taking effective measures to substantially reduce” US trade deficit in goods with China. And, China agreed to “significantly increase purchase” of US goods and services.

Additionally, there would be “meaningful increases” in US agriculture and energy exports to China, “expanding trade” in manufactured goods and services, encouraging “two-way investment” with “fair, level playing field for competition”. China also pledged to work on laws and regulations on intellectually property protections.

The Chinese State-owned Xinhua news agency described the statement as “vowing not to launch a trade war against each other”.

Here is a graphical summary by Xinhua.

Full statement below:

THE WHITE HOUSE – Office of the Press Secretary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 19, 2018

Joint Statement of the United States and China Regarding Trade Consultations

At the direction of President Donald J. Trump and President Xi Jinping, on May 17 and 18, 2018, the United States and China engaged in constructive consultations regarding trade in Washington, D.C. The United States delegation included Secretary of the Treasury Steven T. Mnuchin, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur L. Ross, and United States Trade Representative Robert E. Lighthizer. The Chinese delegation was led by State Council Vice Premier Liu He, Special Envoy of President Xi.

There was a consensus on taking effective measures to substantially reduce the United States trade deficit in goods with China. To meet the growing consumption needs of the Chinese people and the need for high-quality economic development, China will significantly increase purchases of United States goods and services. This will help support growth and employment in the United States.

Both sides agreed on meaningful increases in United States agriculture and energy exports. The United States will send a team to China to work out the details.

The delegations also discussed expanding trade in manufactured goods and services. There was consensus on the need to create favorable conditions to increase trade in these areas.

Both sides attach paramount importance to intellectual property protections, and agreed to strengthen cooperation. China will advance relevant amendments to its laws and regulations in this area, including the Patent Law.

Both sides agreed to encourage two-way investment and to strive to create a fair, level playing field for competition.

Both sides agreed to continue to engage at high levels on these issues and to seek to resolve their economic and trade concerns in a proactive manner.

China’s State Council release a “White Paper on China-US Economic and Trade Frictions and China’s Position” today. This 36000 words paper consists of six sections, detailing the benefits of the bilateral trade, the economic and trade relations, US protectionism and trade hegemonism, the threat of US practice to world economy and China’s own position.

In particular, the paper condemns the under the “America First” bandwagon, the new US government “abandoned the basic norms of international exchanges such as mutual respect and equal consultation, and implemented unilateralism, protectionism and economic hegemonism.”And the US used different means to “carry out economic intimidation, and impose extreme pressure its own interests impose its own interests on China.” The paper also detailed the new protectionist measures of the US. These include measures that discriminate products of other countries, abused national security investigations, subsidies on local industries.

China’s own position include defending the “dignity and core interests of the country”, “promote healthy trade relationship with the US”, “promote and improve multilateral trade system”, “protect property and intellectual property rights”, “protect rights of foreign businesses in China”, “continue deepening reforms on opening the markets”, work on win-win relationships with developed and developing countries”, etc.

All-in-all, the main message is that China is not going to back down in the trade conflicts. That’s what we get. Below are the links to the details as reported by the official Xinhua (in simplified Chinese). Look like they’re pretty serious.

• China publishes “White Paper on China-US Economic and Trade Frictions and China’s Position”
• The White Paper Explains China’s Eight Stands on Sino-US Trade and Economic Friction
• White Paper: Sino-US economic and trade cooperation is a win-win situation rather than a zero-sum game
• White Papers Discriminate the Six Major Facts of Sino-US Economic and Trade Relations
• White Paper: China’s attitude towards protecting intellectual property rights is firmly
• White Paper: U.S. Government Trade Protectionism Seriously Affects the Normal Development of Sino-US Economic and Trade Relations
• White paper: Trade protectionism ultimately harms US interests
• White Paper: U.S. Government’s Trade Hegemonism has shaken the foundation of the global multilateral trading system
• White Paper: US Government Misconduct Destroys International Economic Order
• White Paper: China firmly protects the legitimate rights and interests of foreign businessmen in China
• White Paper: China Firmly Deepens Reform and Expands Opening