China hopes to reach trade agreement with US as soon as possible

China has said on December 9 that it hopes to reach a trade agreement as soon as possible with the United States. This comes amidst the intense discussions before Trump announces new tariffs on Chinese imports which will come into practice from next week. Assistant Commerce Minister Ren Hongbin told the reporters that Beijing hopes to reach a trade deal with the US which is fair for both countries on the 'foundation of equality and mutual respect'. Earlier, US President Donald Trump had also said that Washington is close to reaching the first phase of a trade deal and that it is in 'final throes'. 

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The relations between Beijing and Washington have rather been intense with Chinese officials constantly slamming the US politicians for passing the Hong Kong bill and the Uighur Act of 2019. In trade aspect, the next round of US tariffs against China will take effect on December 15 while China has demanded a roll-back on $375 billion worth of its exports along with the cancellation of additional $156 billion of the remaining exports to the US. After Trump signed the Hong Kong rights bill, China retaliated by suspending the US warship visits and sanctioned a number of American NGOs. However, the US President has demanded that Beijing must promise a specific minimum purchase of American agricultural products, among other concessions. 

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China slammed US

China slammed US earlier last week for sanctioning the Uighur Act of 2019 which requires US President Donald Trump to toughen its response to Xinjiang where more than a million Muslims are reportedly being held for 're-education'. The Chinese Foreign Ministry called the US politicians like Speaker Nancy Pelosi as 'ignorant & hypocritical' for talking about 'conscience'. The authorities yet again reassured that the ethnic minorities in China 'enjoy equal rights and freedom and culture'.

The Chinese official also clarified that whatever happens in Xinjiang is the country's way to 'combat terrorism and separatism' and denied the accusations that Beijing was harassing families of Uighur Muslims. The Spokesperson of the Chinese ministry called out Washington for its 'double standards'. China also believes that passing of the Uighur Bill along with the one supporting the anti-government demonstrations in the former British colony, US will 'mess up' Hong Kong and Xinjiang in a similar manner the country intervened in Afghanistan, Syria, and Iraq.  

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