G20 trade officials’ talks to begin in the US amid tariffs — Asharq Al-Awsat

Two-day talks between trade officials from the Group of Twenty countries are due to begin in Milwaukee, United States, on September 30, amid tensions over US tariffs and accusations of excess industrial capacity. The meeting is being hosted by US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

As Asharq Al-Awsat reports, the G20 includes 19 countries, as well as the European Union and the African Union. The United States currently holds the group’s rotating presidency. Its members include China, India, Russia, Japan, Germany and France.

Tariffs and excess capacity

Ahead of the talks, Jamieson Greer said that the US administration is not opposed to trade. According to him, countries face common challenges related to global excess manufacturing capacity and “non-market policies.”

Since last year, Washington has imposed tariffs on trading partners, separately covering, among other things, steel and automobiles. In February, the US Supreme Court struck down tariffs tied to specific countries, but Washington later said that 60 economies had taken insufficient action against forced labor and introduced new tariffs. They include China, India and the EU.

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The United States is also investigating 16 trading partners over excess industrial capacity. Such accusations are often directed at China: critics believe that excess production floods markets and unfairly lowers prices. US investigations do not concern China alone: they could lead to new tariffs for the EU, Japan and South Korea.

Participants’ expectations

Atlantic Council analyst Josh Lipsky told AFP that no breakthrough should be expected from the Milwaukee talks, as President Donald Trump prefers bilateral agreements. Former US trade official Wendy Cutler noted that Washington’s partners will seek opportunities for cooperation with the United States while also voicing concerns about tariffs.

Canada and the European Union, according to the publication, are expected to seek to strengthen trade and investment ties outside the United States. Canada’s Minister of International Trade Maninder Sidhu stressed Ottawa’s support for open, predictable and rules-based trade. India, meanwhile, may conclude long-running negotiations on a trade agreement with the United States.