US should realize stratagem doesn't resolve trade disputes

Political determination is all that it takes for a country to realize its goal. An apt example is Thursday's agreement between China and the United States to hold the 13th round of trade talks in Washington next month. Which has raised hopes that the two sides would ultimately find a way to resolve their trade disputes.

But to make sure such hopes are not dashed, and ensure "substantial progress" is made at the trade talks, the US administration has to not only adopt a sincere and constructive approach but also take concrete steps to make good the promises it makes.

In the phone conversations Vice-Premier Liu He, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, had with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, the two sides agreed that working groups would conduct consultations "in earnest" in the middle of this month "to make full preparations for the high-level talks to achieve substantial progress".