Adedokun Waliyu 
The United States is taking an analytical approach to its review of whether to keep tariffs on Chinese goods in place and will not base outcomes on any “breakthrough” in U.S.-China trade relations, Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Sarah Bianchi told Reuters.
The Biden administration is not assuming any such breakthrough will happen, but will continue dialogue with China at various levels, Bianchi said in an interview on Saturday as a ministerial meeting of the U.S.-led Indo Pacific Economic Framework talks wrapped up.
“We are conducting the review from an analytical perspective. We’re not base-casing any breakthrough in the trade relationship” with China as part of the review, Bianchi said. “We’re not assuming that that will happen.”
Instead, USTR is continuing to study industry and stakeholder comments on the duties consulting with the U.S. Commerce Department, the Treasury and other agencies to determine which categories make strategic sense, she said.
“We’re taking a look at what’s economically sound,” added Bianchi, who oversees USTR’s engagement in Asia.
