ADVERTISEMENT

U.S.-China Trade War Timeline: What's Happened in 2019 So Far

A year into the tariff war between U.S. and China, officials signal that a deal to end the standoff is near.

U.S.-China Trade War Timeline: What's Happened in 2019 So Far
Xi Jinping, China’s president, left, and U.S. President Donald Trump. (Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg)

(Bloomberg) --

A year into the tariff war between the U.S. and China, officials are signaling that a hard-negotiated deal to end the standoff is near. President Xi Jinping’s top trade envoy, Liu He, is set to be in Washington this week for further talks.

Here’s what has happened this year and what we know is going to happen, in reverse chronological order:

DateJoint actionU.S. actionChinese action
4/3/2019Vice Premier Liu He is due to conduct talks in Washington
3/28-29/2019U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin visited China for trade talks.
3/24/2019Vice Premier Han Zheng said China will continue to lower tariffs and create a first-rate environment for foreign businesses.
3/22/2019Trump said a trade deal with China is close, but U.S. officials downplayed the prospect of a swift conclusion.
3/20/2019Trump said he’ll keep tariffs on China until he’s sure Beijing is complying with any trade deal.
3/15/2019China approved new foreign investment law.
3/14/2019 Liu, Lighthizer and Mnuchin spoke by phone.
3/12/2019U.S. must keep the option of raising tariffs on Chinese imports to ensure China lives up to its promises, Lighthizer told the Senate Finance Committee.
3/12/2019Liu, Lighthizer and Mnuchin spoke by phone.
3/09/2019Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen said the enforcement mechanism should be "two way, fair and equal."
3/01/2019Trump said he asked China to immediately remove all tariffs on U.S. agricultural products, including beef and pork.
3/01/2019Deadline the U.S. imposed in December to reach a deal.
2/28/2019U.S. scored a victory against China when the  World Trade Organization ruled Beijing provided farm subsidies in excess of its international commitments.
2/28/2019USTR to suspend planned tariff on Chinese imports increase ‘until further notice’
2/27/2019U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said a trade deal may be ready as Trump and President Xi Jinping may meet "before the end of March"
2/25/2019Trump tweeted that trade deal with China in "advanced stages" after earlier saying he will have a signing summit with Xi.
2/24/2019  Trump tweeted that a tariff increase on some Chinese imports planned for March 1 is being delayed.
2/23-24/2019U.S., China trade talks in Washington extended over the weekend.
2/22/2019Trump and Lighthizer clashed over the meaning of a "memorandum of understanding" in front of reporters and Chinese negotiators at the White House.Liu said trade talks with U.S. "fruitful."
2/21-22/2019Liu and other negotiators visited the U.S. for what was initially two days of talks.
2/16/2019Trump said talks in China were "very productive" after team briefed him upon their return.
2/15/2019Xi met Lighthizer and Mnuchin after trade talks in Beijing, hailing progress.
2/14-15/2019Lighthizer, Mnuchin in Beijing for trade talks with Liu.
2/11-13/2019Working-level talks in Beijing.
2/01/2019White House said progress has been made and "much work remains to be done", while reiterating its threat to raise tariffs by March 1.China agreed to increase imports of U.S. agriculture, energy, industrial products and services, Xinhua News Agency reported.
1/31/2019Trump met Liu in White House, said Huawei hasn’t been discussed by the two countries but will feature in talks later.Liu said he hopes to accelerate the 90-day time period the U.S. and China have given themselves to work out a trade deal.
1/31/2019Trump said in a tweet that negotiations are going well, but no deal will be final until he meets with Xi.
1/30-31/2019Liu led Chinese delegation to talks with Lighthizer, Mnuchin in Washington.
1/28/2019Liu arrived in Washington, with some high-level officials.
1/24/2019Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said the two sides are "miles and miles" from a resolution.
1/24/2019China said it will grant new banking licences to foreign banks within the next six months.
1/10/2019Chinese statement merely said meeting "laid the foundation for resolving mutual concerns."
1/9/2019Talks ended in Beijing.U.S. statement emphasized Chinese commitment to buy more goods and how to verify any agreement is enforced.
1/7-9/2019Mid-level officials met for talks in Beijing.
1/6/2019A state-owned microchip manufacturer pleaded not-guilty in a U.S. court on charges of stealing trade secrets.

Click here to read what happened last year: U.S.-China Trade War Timeline: What’s Happened and What’s Next

To contact Bloomberg News staff for this story: Miao Han in Beijing at mhan22@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jeffrey Black at jblack25@bloomberg.net, James Mayger

©2019 Bloomberg L.P.

With assistance from Bloomberg