President Trump anticipates signing ‘phase one’ trade deal with China

The American flag is seen flying alongside the flag of China. (Andy Wong/AP Photo)

Progress is being made in trade negotiations between the U.S. and China. While speaking to reporters Monday, President Trump said the deal is moving far ahead of schedule. He said the two nations could come to an agreement soon, but noted it’s not the entire trade deal — only a section of it.
“We are looking, probably, to be ahead of schedule to sign a very big portion of the China deal,” he stated. “And, we’ll call it ‘phase one,’ but it’s a very big portion.”
China sung a similar tune over the weekend with officials noting ‘phase one’ of the deal is “basically complete.” While few details surrounding the agreement have been released, President Trump said ‘phase one’ will address several concerns.
“That (phase one deal) would take care of the farmers, it would take care of some of the other things, it’ll also take care of a lot of the banking needs,” he explained.
Meanwhile, this portion of the deal is expected to be signed during the president’s visit to Chile in November. It will take place on the sidelines of the annual APEC CEO summit, where leaders of the world’s top economies will gather for two days of discussions. That event is set to take place November 14th through the 16th.

President Donald Trump departs O’Hare International Airport after speaking at the International Association of Chiefs of Police Annual Conference and Exposition, Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)