Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He stands with US trade representative Robert Lighthizer and treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin in Washington, the US, October 10 2019. Picture: REUTERS/Yuri Gripas
But the atmosphere for the high-stakes parley was shifting rapidly. Liu smiled broadly as he was greeted by US trade representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Thursday morning.Late on Wednesday, Liu had told dignitaries in Washington that the Chinese side had come"with great sincerity" and hoped to reach a"common understanding" with the Americans.
Just since Monday, Washington has imposed visa restrictions on senior Chinese officials and blacklisted more than two dozen Chinese firms, accusing them of persecuting ethnic Uighur Muslims in China's western Xinjiang region. Markets over the prior 24 hours had pinned their hopes on media reports that Beijing will propose a partial trade deal to prevent further escalation.