Xi affirmed promises to reduce restrictions on
foreign investment and an offer, first made in
June, to accelerate work on a China-Europe
investment treaty.
Beijing has announced plans over the past two
years to make its state-dominated economy
more productive. They include cutting
import tariffs and abolishing limits on foreign
ownership in auto manufacturing, finance and
other fields.
None directly addresses U.S., European and other
complaints about technology policies and other
irritants that prompted President Donald Trump
to hike tariffs on Chinese imports, setting off a
trade war that threatens to chill global growth.
Xi made no mention of the battle with
Washington but called for building and “open
and shared world economy.”
Macron said market entry must be “accelerated,
made more transparent” and he appealed for
equal treatment in subsidies and legal remedies.
Macron expressed hope a U.S.-Chinese
settlement will “safeguard the interests of China’s
and the United States’ other major trading
partners, starting with the European Union.”
American and Chinese negotiators announced
what Trump called a “Phase 1” agreement Oct. 12
after talks in Washington. Envoys are negotiating
the details. The two sides have reported no
progress on their biggest disputes and economists
say a final settlement is unlikely this year.
On a conference call with reporters, Commerce
Secretary Wilbur Ross said he was “reasonably
optimistic” the Phase 1 talks would be finished. He
said more difficult issues would wait for later rounds.