China asks US for talks, liaison to defuse trade tensions

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BEIJING: A person briefed on the matter says President Xi Jinping's top economic adviser has told US business leaders in Washington that China hopes the White House will revive high-level dialogue on economic disputes and name a new chief liaison to defuse mounting trade tensions.

The person said Liu He told a round-table of executives, including former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson, that he would take charge of China's economic reform efforts later this month and sought a list of US demands for what China could do to ease tensions.

They requested anonymity to discuss a confidential meeting.

Liu was dispatched to Washington to smooth over ties with China's largest trading partner.

But the trip has been overshadowed by President Donald Trump's announcement Thursday of tariffs on steel and aluminium imports.