No new trade talks between the U.S. and China have been scheduled following U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement he had called off discussions that had been scheduled for this past weekend.
The cancellation is expected to put added pressure on the already fragile trade relations between the two countries following months of escalating political tension.
Trump said he had canceled talks with China because he didn't want to talk with China "right now." Asked if the U.S. would pull out of the already signed phase-one trade deal, Trump said: "We'll see what happens." He was speaking during a campaign rally at Yuma International Airport in Arizona on Tuesday,
Trump said he distrusted China and repeated his accusations it was responsible for the spread of the coronavirus. He said what China had done to the world was "unthinkable."
The U.S. president didn't elaborate on his reasons for canceling the meeting nor did he say if the U.S. would pull out of the deal. Nevertheless, terminating the deal would require written notification to China and it would take effect 60 days after the letter was received.
The talks scheduled for the weekend were part of an agreed-upon schedule to meet every six months under the phase-one trade deal. Leaders from both sides were supposed to discuss details of the implementation of the deal originally signed in February.
Leaders were scheduled to meet via a video conference call as a result of the continuing international health crisis. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin were supposed to take part along with China's Vice Premier Liu He.
China has put in place most of the structural changes it committed to under the deal. However, its purchase of U.S. goods has fallen below its promised targets. Given the current disruptions caused by the pandemic China is unlikely to fulfill those targets, experts say.
Political analysts in China have said actions by both countries have negatively affected the talks. The U.S.'s continued imposition of trade restrictions against companies from China has sparked anger there. The country's Commerce Ministry has said that proceeding with talks will be very difficult because the U.S. continues to create new problems.
