China warns U.S. over Uighur bill, raising doubts over early trade deal

[snoop1130]

China warns U.S. over Uighur bill, raising doubts over early trade deal

By Se Young Lee, David Brunnstrom

 

FILE PHOTO: A Chinese police officer takes his position by the road near what is officially called a vocational education centre in Yining in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, China September 4, 2018. REUTERS/Thomas Peter/File Photo

 

BEIJING/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - China warned on Wednesday that the U.S. House of Representatives bill calling for a tougher U.S. response to Beijing’s treatment of its Uighur Muslim minority will impact bilateral cooperation, clouding prospects for a near-term deal to end a trade war.

 

Expectations of a quick deal had receded already, after U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that it might take until late 2020 to reach agreement.

 

The U.S. House’s approval of the Uighur Act of 2019, which still has to be approved by the Republican-controlled Senate before being sent to Trump, has angered Beijing and further strains an already testy relationship.

 

Several sources familiar with Beijing’s stance told Reuters that the bill could jeopardize the so-called phase one deal already fraught with disagreements and complications.

 

With a new round of U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods scheduled to take effect in less than two weeks, the possibility of another breakdown is growing.

 

“Do you think if America takes actions to hurt China’s interests we won’t take any action,” Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters when asked whether the Uighur bill will affect the trade negotiations. “I think any wrong words and deeds must pay the due price.”

 

Negotiators have continued to work on the trade deal, but sources familiar with the talks say the two sides are still wrangling over the details including whether existing U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods will be removed and how much in additional U.S. agricultural products China will buy.

 

Bloomberg reported on Wednesday the U.S. and China are “moving closer” to agreeing on how much tariffs would be rolled back in a phase-one trade deal despite the Hong Kong and Xinjiang issues, citing people familiar with the talks.

 

U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told CNBC on Tuesday that staff-level trade negotiations with China were continuing but no high-level trade talks have been scheduled. The planned tariffs on remaining Chinese imports will take effect on Dec. 15 if there is no significant progress in the talks or a deal, he said.

 

Hua said China will not set any timeline or deadline for a trade deal and would take “decisive” countermeasures to defend its interests if Washington’s protectionism and bullying over trade continues. She did not elaborate on what the measures might be.

 

One Chinese official, who declined to be identified, warned that U.S. implementation of the new round of tariffs scheduled on Dec. 15 will be countered by China with retaliatory tariffs - an outcome that the official said would seriously disrupt ongoing negotiations.

 

Another Chinese government official, who declined to be identified, said it may take a very long time for Washington and Beijing to reach a deal if they cannot find a way to strike a deal while “the iron is hot.”

 

UIGHUR BILL

 

The Uighur bill, which was passed 407-1 in the Democratic-controlled House, requires the U.S. president to condemn abuses against Muslims and call for the closure of mass detention camps in its western region of Xinjiang. It calls on Trump to impose sanctions for the first time on a member of China’s powerful politburo, Xinjiang Communist Party Secretary Chen Quanguo.

 

Beijing called the bill a malicious attack on China, demanded the United States keep it from becoming law and said it would act to defend its interests as necessary. [L1N28D1TH]

The U.S. Embassy in China, in an e-mail statement, told Reuters it would not speculate on China’s possible counter-measures.

 

“We continue to call on the PRC to immediately release all those arbitrarily detained, and to end its draconian policies that for more than two years have terrorized its own citizens in Xinjiang,” the statement said referring to the initials of China’s official name, People’s Republic of China.

 

The White House has yet to say whether Trump would sign or veto the bill, which contains a provision allowing the president to waive sanctions if he determines that to be in the national interest.

 

Dilxat Raxit, spokesman for the World Uyghur Congress, said in a statement the House bill is an important action opposing “China’s continued push of extreme persecution” and that the organization looks forward to Trump signing it into law.

 

Analysts say China’s response to the passage of the Uighur bill could be stronger than its reaction to the U.S. law supporting Hong Kong protesters. Beijing said on Monday it banned U.S. military ships and aircraft from visiting the island and sanctioned several U.S.-based non-government organizations.

 

Global Times, an influential tabloid published by the official newspaper of China’s ruling Communist Party, tweeted on Tuesday that Beijing would soon release a so-called unreliable entities list imposing sanctions against those who harm China’s interests.

 

The paper said China was expediting the process for the list because the U.S. House bill would “harm Chinese firms’ interests”, and that “relevant” U.S. entities would be among the targets.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-12-04

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[Cryingdick]

The iron has cooled for China. The USA is doing better than expected with no deal. We can sleep on it.

[car720]

I don't know what the kuffufel is about.  The answer is simple.  If you don't like doing business the current way then just take your business elsewhere.

[thaibeachlovers]

All good. With any luck China will go too far and Trump will tarrif them into extinction as a major power. They only got as far as they have with our money which they got in exchange for dumping a load of badly made junk which breaks after 5 minutes on us.

So people will have to use sweat shops in SEA to make their throw away clothing instead, is that a problem?

[Scott]

Off-topic post reported and removed.  

[Isaan sailor]

If ChiComs oppose something—I am for it.

If ChiComs are for something—I oppose it.

 

[sammieuk1]

Banging up a million plus people for a couple of years or more brainwashing 

 retraining is not acceptable in some country's  ????

[curlylekan]

Why aren't other major powers of the world taking a stance on the Uyghur issue. Everyone knows about the 6 million Jews and more who lost their lives in Europe during WWII, but it seems like Europe, those powers who thought human rights should be at the forefront of policy, no longer care. What ever happened to the UNIVERSAL declaration of Human Rights signed in Paris? What a shame on this world.

[MAGA 2020]

3 hours ago, rhyddid said:

US farmers are bankrupting, their export to their large market is down over 80%, as China simply purchase the fresh produce somewhere else, US Soy farmers are very unhappy.

 The true is that China on this trade war lost 35% US 65%, but of course the main media streams will never say it.

Where did you get your numbers CNN, lmao. My family farms over 10,000 acres and we say China can kiss our grits. Bankrupt hahaha, never been stronger, maybe your news source is LYING TO YOU.

[Traubert]

3 hours ago, MAGA 2020 said:

 

 

4 hours ago, curlylekan said:

Why aren't other major powers of the world taking a stance on the Uyghur issue. Everyone knows about the 6 million Jews and more who lost their lives in Europe during WWII, but it seems like Europe, those powers who thought human rights should be at the forefront of policy, no longer care. What ever happened to the UNIVERSAL declaration of Human Rights signed in Paris? What a shame on this world.

Even the western press haven't gone as far as alleging that people are dying in the centres. They do seem to have conveniently forgotten all those victims of Uighur extremists though, as does everyone else. Kunming Station, the miners slaughtered in their beds, the market bombings, the young Han girls locked in their shop and burned to death. Should China do nothing?

3 hours ago, MAGA 2020 said:

Where did you get your numbers CNN, lmao. My family farms over 10,000 acres and we say China can kiss our grits. Bankrupt hahaha, never been stronger, maybe your news source is LYING TO YOU.

Well there's a thing.

 

News sources lying. Who would have thought it?

 

Does that include lying about China?

[zydeco]

Chinabots getting desperate.

[Traubert]

4 minutes ago, zydeco said:

Chinabots getting desperate.

Yes dear. Of course we are.

 

You eat what you're fed, the same as those unquestioning sheep around the world. Others of us don't buy it.

 

Do you deny that 29 people were hacked to death by eight Uighur Terrorists in Kunming Station on 1st March 2014? Should China gloss over that like UK did with the guy who went bananas on London Bridge the other day despite being a known terrorist?

 

[Scott]

8 hours ago, MAGA 2020 said:

Where did you get your numbers CNN, lmao. My family farms over 10,000 acres and we say China can kiss our grits. Bankrupt hahaha, never been stronger, maybe your news source is LYING TO YOU.

Posting untruthful information can get you suspended.   Here's a little factual information about farmers' financial situation:

A recent report from the American Farm Bureau Federation says the number of farms filing for bankruptcy is up 24% from the previous year. It's the steepest rise the farming industry has seen in years, and the total farm debt for 2019 is expected to hit $416 billion, a record high.

 

https://www.npr.org/2019/11/10/778097948/farm-bankruptcies-surge

[Redline]

13 hours ago, rhyddid said:

US farmers are bankrupting, their export to their large market is down over 80%, as China simply purchase the fresh produce somewhere else, US Soy farmers are very unhappy.

 The true is that China on this trade war lost 35% US 65%, but of course the main media streams will never say it.

Why would the big financial news outlets fabricate figures?  That would jeopardize their existence.  Maybe you are talking about Fox or MSNBC

[Traubert]

22 minutes ago, Redline said:

Why would the big financial news outlets fabricate figures?  That would jeopardize their existence.  Maybe you are talking about Fox or MSNBC

Maybe they don't fabricate, maybe they just get them wrong.

 

After medical diagnosis, economics is the biggest guessing game of all.

[Redline]

11 minutes ago, Traubert said:

Maybe they don't fabricate, maybe they just get them wrong.

 

After medical diagnosis, economics is the biggest guessing game of all.

They report what is reported by the governments-China doesn’t have a great track record-investigate 

[Traubert]

3 hours ago, Redline said:

They report what is reported by the governments-China doesn’t have a great track record-investigate 

That's even funnier.

 

I have been investigating from inside China for 13 years. Everybody in China does, nothing goes unquestioned. Reports to the contrary are a myth.

 

What happens in your country? 

[Redline]

20 hours ago, Traubert said:

That's even funnier.

 

I have been investigating from inside China for 13 years. Everybody in China does, nothing goes unquestioned. Reports to the contrary are a myth.

 

What happens in your country? 

Investigating what?  The government, or accuracy of communist figures released internationally, or scientific research?

Are you a journalist?

 

I have a Kingdom, no country 

[Traubert]

13 minutes ago, Redline said:

Investigating what?  The government, or accuracy of communist figures released internationally, or scientific research?

Are you a journalist?

 

I have a Kingdom, no country 

Chinese Culture.

 

So your King is not the King of a country or state?  That's novel.

 

Is it Elvis?

[Redline]

4 minutes ago, Traubert said:

Chinese Culture.

 

So your King is not the King of a country or state?  That's novel.

 

Is it Elvis?

Elves