Art of a deal is when all parties are happy with it

If the high-profile trade negotiations between China and the United States, scheduled for Thursday and Friday, can produce positive outcomes, that would not only serve the interests of both countries but also benefit global trade and the world economy.

And there is no reason why the negotiations should be a damp squib if the US delegation led by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is willing to discuss the bones of contention between Beijing and Washington with the genuine intent to listen as well as talk.

Turning a deaf ear to China's side of the story will mean the delegation returns home empty handed, the tit-for-tat tariff proposals become a reality, and the whole world, including the US, feels the subsequent pain.