US-China trade talks in Beijing enter second day, Washington yet to decide on extending 2 March deadline

Beijing: US and Chinese envoys are holding a second day of trade talks after the top economic adviser to President Donald Trump said he has yet to decide whether to go ahead with a 2 March tariff increase on imports from China.

Business groups and economists say the two days of negotiations, due to run through Friday, are too brief to resolve a sprawling dispute over Beijing’s technology ambitions. They say China’s goal is to persuade Trump to push back the 2 March deadline.

Trump’s economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, told reporters in Washington that the “vibe is good” in the talks, but he said Trump has made no decision on whether to escalate the dispute by letting the March 2 tariff hike go ahead.

Both sides have expressed optimism without releasing details.