The U.S. and China have restarted trade talks, but China has still not

The U.S. and China have restarted trade talks, but China has still not made large purchases as U.S. agriculture product as President Trump said they would after meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 Summit in Japan late last month.

President Trump tweeted about it Thursday:

White House Economic Adviser Larry Kudlow spoke outside the White House also on Thursday.  He sounded optimistic those buys would be coming soon.  He told reporters, “The President has been very generous, it seems to me, reopening the talks suggesting no new tariffs while the talks are proceeding and even opening the door a little bit on Huawei sales provided their is no national security {issue}.  I know that our side expects China very soon to start purchasing American agriculture commodities, crops, goods and services.  I think that’s a very key point”.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has confirmed top trade envoys from China and the U.S. spoke by phone earlier this week. A spokesman gave no details beyond saying the two sides had “exchanged views”. 

He also declined to comment directly on a report that to help revive the talks, President Trump told President Xi Washington would avoid criticizing Beijing over the street protests in Hong Kong.  It was first reported in the Financial Times.  The report claims President Trump made a similar pledge in a phone call with Xi ahead of the G20 Summit.  The White House and State Department have declined comment.