基於重大貿易突破, 中美同意大幅降低關稅 (2/2)

 Recently CNN News on-line reported the following:

US and China agree to drastically roll back tariffs in major trade breakthrough (2/2)

By Nectar Gan, Auzinea Bacon and Juliana Liu, CNN

Updated 5:54 AM EDT, Mon May 12, 2025

CNN

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(continue)

Dan Ives, a managing director at Wedbush Securities in New York, said the agreement to suspend most tariffs on each other’s goods was a “best case scenario” from the weekend talks.

“This is clearly just the start of a broader and more comprehensive negotiations, and we would expect both these tariff numbers to move down markedly over the coming months as deal talks progress,” he wrote in a research note.

Continuing discussions

The two sides also agreed to establish “a mechanism to continue discussions about economic and trade relations,” led by Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, according to the joint statement.

“These discussions may be conducted alternately in China and the United States, or a third country upon agreement of the Parties. As required, the two sides may conduct working-level consultations on relevant economic and trade issues,” it added.

Speaking at a Monday press conference in Geneva, Bessent said: “The consensus from both delegations is neither side wants to be decoupled, and what have occurred with these very high tariffs … was an equivalent of an embargo, and neither side wants that. We do want trade. We want more balance in trade. And I think both sides are committed to achieving that.”

A spokesperson for China’s Commerce Ministry called the joint statement “an important step by both sides to resolve differences through equal-footing dialogue and consultation, laying the groundwork and creating conditions for further bridging gaps and deepening cooperation.”

Beijing’s upbeat and positive tone stands in stark contrast to its previous statements about the trade conflict with the US. For weeks, Chinese officials had projected a defiant position, demanding the US remove all tariffs on China before agreeing to come to the negotiation table.

The substantial, if temporary, breakthrough was unexpected. Just last week, Bessent sought to manage expectations by suggesting that his goal for the talks was “de-escalation” of tension and not “a big trade deal,” as the US and China had been at a virtual stalemate since Trump imposed his tariff policy.

Translation

基於重大貿易突破, 中美同意大幅降低關稅 (2/2)

（繼續）

紐約 Wedbush 證券公司董事總經理 Dan Ives 表示，雙方同意暫停對彼此大部分商品徵收關稅，這是周末談判的「最佳結果」。

他在一份研究報告中寫道： “這顯然只是更廣泛、更全面談判的開始，隨著協議談判的進展，我們預計未來幾個月這兩項關稅數字都將大幅下降。”

 

繼續討論

聯合聲明稱，雙方還同意建立 “繼續討論經貿關係的機制” ，由中國國務院副總理何立峰與美國的財政部長貝森特, 以及美國貿易代表格里爾牽頭。

聲明還補充說： “這些討論可在中國和美國輪流進行，或經雙方同意在第三國進行。雙方可根據需要就相關經貿問題進行工作級別磋商。”

貝森特週一在日內瓦舉行的新聞發布會上表示： “雙方代表團的共識是，雙方都不希望脫鉤，而這些高額關稅……相當於貿易禁運，雙方都不希望出現這種情況。我們確實希望貿易。我們希望貿易更加平衡。我認為雙方都致力於實現這一目標。”

中國商務部發言人稱，聯合聲明「是雙方透過平等對話協商解決分歧的重要舉措，為進一步彌合分歧、深化合作奠定了基礎，創造了條件」。

北京的樂觀和積極基調與先前與美國貿易衝突的聲明形成鮮明對比。數週以來，中國官員一直表現出強硬立場，要求美國取消對中國徵收的所有關稅，然後才同意進行談判。

儘管是暫時的，但這一實質突破是出乎意料的。就在上週，有鑑於自從特朗普實施關稅政策以來，美國和中國幾乎陷於完全僵局,貝森特暗示判目標是 “緩和”緊張局勢，而不是 “達成一項重大貿易協議”, 他試圖管控期望。

So, the US and China has agreed to drastically reduce tariffs on each other’s goods for an initial 90-day period. Both sides say that they recognize the importance of a sustainable, long-term, and mutually beneficial economic and trade relationship. Apparently, the initial goal of the US for the talks is the “de-escalation” of tension. Chances are that this co-operative atmosphere may change as further negotiations continue.