Statement by the Press Secretary on Upcoming Trade Talks with China

Today, President Donald J. Trump announced that the United States will welcome an official delegation from China for a series of meetings starting on February 19, 2019, to discuss the trade relationship between the two countries.

Principal-level meetings will begin on February 21, 2019. For the United States, these meetings will be led by United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and will include Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, Assistant to the President for Economic Policy Larry Kudlow, and Assistant to the President for Trade and Manufacturing Policy Peter Navarro. These meetings will be preceded by deputy-level meetings that will begin on February 19, 2019, led by Deputy United States Trade Representative Jeffrey Gerrish.

The meetings are a part of the agreement reached by President Trump and President Xi Jinping in Buenos Aires on December 1, 2018, to engage in 90 days of negotiations with a view to achieving needed structural changes in China that affect trade between the United States and China. The two sides will also discuss China's pledge to purchase a substantial amount of goods and services from the United States.

The meetings will take place in the Office of the United States Trade Representative and the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House.