US and Chinese trade negotiators are soon expected to meet face-to-face for the first time since their leaders declared a temporary truce in late June. But a quick end to the trade war isn't a sure bet. After all, the last month hasn't been easy on the relationship between Washington and Beijing.
On Monday, Huawei — a company that President Donald Trump has suggested could be a bargaining trip in trade negotiations — was the subject of a report that claimed it may have violated US sanctions on North Korea. The next day, the Chinese tech firm announced it would lay off US staff, a decision it blamed on American restrictions on its business. Complicating matters even more, the United States slapped sanctions on a Chinese company this week for violating a ban on buying Iranian oil. After that announcement, China didn't mince words: The country slammed what it called Washington's "bullying" behavior.
