Geng said at a press conference that President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump had agreed in a telephone call earlier this month to press ahead with a trade-related resolution that was mutually acceptable. Economic teams from both countries were in contact to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of both countries.
The nature of Sino-US trade cooperation is beneficial to both sides, and China is ready to resolve trade issues through negotiations and consultations. Meanwhile, China will steadfastly defend the country’s interests, he added. Geng made his statements after Trump said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that it was „highly unlikely“ that he would accept Beijing’s demand to stop raising the level of customs duties on Chinese goods worth $ 200 billion.
In addition, Geng said China is paying close attention to the smuggling and misuse of fentanyl analogues – effective designer drugs – and taking effective action to address the problem. A commission set up by the US Congress had said that the Chinese authorities were not undertaking enough to stop the flow of synthetic opioid, fentanyl, and related chemicals into the US, Bloomberg reported Tuesday. Geng said the misuse of fentanyl analogues in the US was the result of a combination of factors, and the US government could do more to reduce demand.
Most of the new psychoactive substances, including fentanyl analogues, have been developed in western industrialized countries, Geng said, adding that they are mainly processed and consumed in these countries. The US has repeatedly accused China of being a major source of fentanyl analogues, but has never provided accurate data or substantiated evidence, and limited intelligence. The anti-drug cooperation was a culmination of Sino-US security co-operation by law enforcement officials, Geng said. China is ready to further strengthen communication and cooperation with the US in this area.
