Extended talks raise hopes there's a deal in the offing

The extending of the talks between China and the United States to resolve their trade and economic frictions will hopefully give substance to the optimism expressed by both sides that they can reach a deal.

US President Donald Trump, senior US officials, and Vice-Premier Liu He, the special envoy of President Xi Jinping, who is heading the Chinese delegation, all expressed the belief on Friday that the two sides have made significant progress toward reaching a comprehensive agreement that will put an end to the current trade standoff.

It is to be expected that the discussions at this stage will be the toughest test yet for the two teams of negotiators, and their task is not one to be envied. However, the unscheduled two-day extension to their discussions indicates that tangible headway is being made in their joint efforts to find a mutually acceptable way to resolve their differences and put an end to their quarrel.