KUALA LUMPUR: Talks between the United States and China’s top economic officials have begun in Kuala Lumpur as both sides seek a solution to the tariff issue and a possible summit next week.
Officials from China were seen arriving just before noon on Saturday (Oct 25) at the Park Hyatt hotel at the Merdeka 118 tower here.
They were welcomed by a delegation from the Finance Ministry led by the ministry’s secretary general of Treasury Datuk Johan Mahmood Merican.
Journalists are staking out at the lobby of the hotel located on the 75th floor of the Merdeka 118 tower.
Sources have said the US-China meeting is taking place at the 96th floor of the hotel
Among those spotted were China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng and top trade negotiator Li Chenggang.
The US delegation led by Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is expected to meet the Chinese delegation led by He.
The meeting follows US President Donald Trump’s threat to impose additional 100% tariffs on Chinese imports from next month.
Trump’s threat came after Beijing announced on October 9 limits on rare earth exports and retaliatory port fees on vessels that are US built, flagged or operated beginning Oct 14.
The talks, the fifth round of high level trade discussions, are expected to pave the way for a possible meeting between Trump and Xi Jinping at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in South Korea later this month.
Officials from the US and China have met four times since May this year.
Trump is set to arrive in Malaysia on Sunday (Oct 26) morning in his first Asia tour as US President.
He will head to Japan on October 27 and then to South Korea to attend the APEC summit where he is expected to meet Xi.
