Trump announces members of official delegation to China for trade talks

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel (not in the picture) at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on April 27, 2018. (Xinhua/Ting Shen)

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday announced that an official delegation from the United States will travel to China to discuss the bilateral trade relationship beginning Thursday.

The members of the U.S. delegation includes U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer, the White House said in a statement.

The delegation also includes Larry Kudlow , assistant to the president for Economic Policy, Peter Navarro, assistant to the president for Trade and Manufacturing Policy, as well as Everett Eissenstat, deputy assistant to the president for International Economic Affairs.

China values the willingness the United States has shown to address the current trade friction through dialogue and communication, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said last week.

"There is no winner in trade conflict, which will not only affect the recovery of the world economy but also the global industrial chain," Li said, adding that solutions can only be found when both sides sit down for dialogue.

In an interview aired on Monday by Fox Business Network, Mnuchin said he was "cautiously optimistic" about the upcoming trade talks with China.

The Trump administration has recently threatened to impose tariffs on up to 150 billion U.S. dollars of Chinese imports, while China has vowed to retaliate against U.S. exports if Washington moves forward with the tariffs.

Trade analysts have warned that unilateralism and trade protectionism will inevitably harm others without benefiting oneself as the global economy is deeply integrated.

Editor: John Li