China hopes U.S. will create conditions for implementation of Phase 1 deal: commerce official

August 13, 2020

BEIJING (Reuters) – China hopes the United States will stop taking restrictive and discriminatory action against Chinese firms and create conditions for the implementation of a Phase 1 trade deal, Assistant Minister of Commerce Ren Hongbin said on Thursday.

Ren told a news conference that the coronavirus pandemic and U.S. export control measures had undoubtedly had an impact on Chinese purchases of U.S. goods and services.

Senior U.S. and Chinese officials whose relationship has become increasingly tense will review the Phase 1 trade deal and are likely to air grievances during a video conference this weekend.

(Reporting by Martin Pollard and Stella Qiu; Editing by Catherine Evans)