WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th February, 2019) US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer told lawmakers that President Donald Trump will not seek congressional approval on any deal that is reached with China.
"This a settlement of a 301 action, the president using his power under Section 301, which has been delegated [by Congress] and it's an executive agreement which the Constitution gives the president the right to enter into," Lighthizer said in testimony to the House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday. "We have no intention of submitting it to Congress."
Lighthizer's appearance followed four days of talks in Washington that ended on Sunday, with some members of the Chinese delegation remaining in Washington to continue negotiations.
Trump's trade chief also said that any agreement with China would be binding and contain enforcement procedures that would allow the United States to unilaterally respond to abusive trade practices, such as theft of trade secrets and technology.
Citing progress in the talks, Trump delayed tariff increases on about $200 billion worth of Chinese products while proposing a summit with China President Xi Jinping.
However, a report in the South China Morning Post said many differences remained between Washington and Beijing, including US demands for structural reforms in the Chinese economy and enforcement mechanism.
During the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly criticized Beijing for cheating on existing trade agreements and vowed to reduce China's annual trade surplus with the United States of more than $500 billion. China's economy has slowed in response to tariffs imposed earlier by Trump, which US officials credit with persuading Beijing to negotiate.
