Beijing silent on US reports of China trade deal

• White House expected to announce accord but Beijing silent
• US offered to halt new tariffs and up to 50% cuts on existing ones

Reports that the US and China have reached an initial trade deal were met with silence in Beijing where officials declined to confirm whether an agreement had been made.

Asked about the status of the trade talks during a daily briefing on Friday, the Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying reiterated that Beijing was committed to resolving outstanding issues but that a deal had to be mutually beneficial. She did not comment on whether the two sides had reached an agreement or the terms of any deal.

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