Trade Talks To Continue As Trump Vows More Tariffs

Beijing's top trade negotiator Liu He said on Friday in Washington that trade talks with the US would continue in Beijing following two days of negotiations and a US tariff hike.

"Negotiations have not broken down, but rather on the contrary, this is only a normal twist in the negotiations between the two countries," Liu told mainland media after two days of talks in Washington.

"Both sides agree they will meet again in Beijing in the future and keep pushing forward the negotiations," he said without giving a date.

His comments came after US President Donald Trump ordered a tariff hike on almost all remaining imports from China, less than 24 hours after Washington raised duties on approximately US$200 billion of Chinese goods.

"The President also ordered us to begin the process of raising tariffs on essentially all remaining imports from China, which are valued at approximately US$300 billion," US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said in a statement.

The higher duty rates imposed on Friday will hit a vast array of Chinese-made electrical equipment, machinery, auto parts and furniture, and will apply to goods that left port after midnight Washington time.

Trump tweeted on Friday that the talks, which he called "candid and constructive," would continue. (AFP)