Asia

The South Carolina Republican told Inside U.S. Trade “we will see what happens by the end of the week,” adding, “I am cautiously optimistic.”

The Japanese government and Japan’s titanium sponge industry last week rebutted the last U.S. titanium sponge producer's claims that the U.S. should find imports a national security risk and impose restrictions.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday pledged to enact a range of economic reforms, including expanded market access, better cooperation on intellectual property protection, increased importation of goods and services and the implementation of “opening-up-related policies.”

Japanese Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi is meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer beginning on Thursday, Japanese officials confirmed to Inside U.S. Trade, a day before Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meets with President Trump in Washington, DC.

“It will probably be done in tranches. Over how long of a period of time, I don’t know, but there won’t be a 100 percent reduction of tariffs on the day that the agreement’s signed.”

Unilateral trade actions taken by the United States are pushing the European Union and China close together and preventing the U.S. and Brussels from coordinating action to confront illicit Chinese trade practices, several trade analysts said on Tuesday.

U.S. agricultural producers are losing out on market share in Japan from other trade deals going into effect, the groups argue in a letter.

The president will be in Japan in late May following the enthronment of the country's new emperor.

“Given the strength of our ... relationships, our view is that we should have an equally strong economic relationship.”