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Trump May Ask Mnuchin to Meet Chinese Officials, Conway Says

Mnuchin will attend the Group of 20 finance ministers’ summit in Fukuoka, Japan, from June 7 to 9

Trump May Ask Mnuchin to Meet Chinese Officials, Conway Says
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, and Steven Mnuchin, U.S. Treasury secretary, walk down the hall of the Treasury Department building before signing an executive order in Washington, D.C., U.S. (Photographer: Pete Marovich/Bloomberg)

(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump may ask Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to meet with Chinese officials while in Japan next week amid an escalating trade dispute between the two countries, said White House senior adviser Kellyanne Conway.

Mnuchin will attend the Group of 20 finance ministers’ summit in Fukuoka, Japan, from June 7 to 9, where Chinese officials are scheduled to arrive along with 18 other counterparts for annual meetings.

Asked Friday if Trump wants Mnuchin to talk with the Chinese, Conway said “he may,” without offering more details.

If Mnuchin meets with the Chinese, it would be the first face-to-face talks after the two sides reached a stalemate in two-year negotiations over trade earlier this month. On May 10, Trump raised tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods to 25 percent from 10 percent.

--With assistance from Saleha Mohsin.

To contact the reporter on this story: Jennifer Jacobs in Washington at jjacobs68@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Alex Wayne at awayne3@bloomberg.net, Justin Blum, Kevin Whitelaw

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