China negotiations are 'high priority' for the Trump admin.
Timothy Brightbill, partner at Wiley Rein, joins Catalysts to explain what's driving the latest tariff standoff and where negotiations could head next.
To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Catalysts here.
Talk to me about this tit-for-tat between the US and China both accusing each other of the same thing. Is there any merit to that? Is this just negotiation in the art of the deal? Where does this sit with you?
Uh, thanks for having me this morning, Madison. There, I think, uh, there's, uh, there are things going on on both sides here. Uh, the United States and China, uh, both are have some accurate statements that they've made. The Trump administration is clearly frustrated with China, uh, that it's not living up to the May 12th agreement, and in particular, that it's slowing down access to rare earth magnets and other critical minerals, which are needed for so many different segments of manufacturing. Uh, now MOFCOM, of course, has pushed back and said that it's the United States that is escalating the situation, uh, first with restrictions on the sale of chip design software to China, and then also some of the other issues, such as the announcement to revoke visas of Chinese students. So, I think, uh, both sides make some valid claims. It's mostly negotiations, but we do want to see these discussions move forward, um, given the size of the tariffs that have been suspended between the two countries.
And talk to me about what that looks like. What would be the impetus to make these negotiations move forward? Are you seeing any signals of further discussions happening?
I think both sides are very interested. So, uh, yes, I think there are signals of more discussions. Uh, there will be other opportunities going on. There is an OECD meeting this week. Uh, this is a high priority for the administration, for Ambassador Greer, um, but there's a lot of ground to cover and a lot of very hot button issues between the two countries. So, not clear how how quickly it will be resolved.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Epoch Times
7 minutes ago
- Epoch Times
China Must Stop Human Rights Abuses Against Imprisoned Activists, UN Expert Says
A U.N. human rights expert is urging the Chinese communist regime to uphold the rights of imprisoned human rights defenders and disclose detailed information about several detained activists, including missing Chinese human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng. Mary Lawlor, the U.N.'s special rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, said she was 'disturbed by consistent allegations' about the ill-treatment of human rights advocates imprisoned in China, in a statement on Aug. 11. Those allegations have included 'torture, denial of access to adequate medical care and visitation rights,' she said. 'Despite making repeated requests, the Chinese authorities have yet to provide detailed responses regarding the alleged treatment of these human rights defenders. Instead, the Government has only provided generic replies with little specific information on the questions raised,' Lawlor added. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has a long history of human rights abuses. In an international human rights report published on Aug. 12, the U.S. State Department noted that former prisoners and detainees had reported being beaten, raped, subjected to electric shock, hung by the wrists, deprived of sleep, force-fed, forced to take medication against their will, as well as a wide range of other physical and psychological abuse, with political and religious dissidents often facing the most severe treatment. Lawlor said Beijing should guarantee these detainees are allowed visits from their families and legal representatives, receive proper medical care, be held in officially recognized detention facilities, and disclose their status and location to any individual with a legitimate interest. She pointed to her effort to get information about seven human rights defenders serving sentences of 10 years or longer, when she and other U.N. experts sent a letter to the Chinese authorities in February. However, Beijing responded by providing limited information, Lawlor stated, prompting her to urge the Chinese authorities to provide a more thorough reply, specifically with detailed updates on their health conditions and access to family and legal representatives The seven individuals are Huang Qi, Huang Yunmin, Ilham Tohti, Qin Yongmin, Zhang Haitao, Zhao Haitong, and Ding Jiaxi. Ding, a human rights lawyer and prominent figure in the New Citizens Movement, was sentenced to 12 years in prison by a Chinese court in April 2023. The movement campaigns for transparency regarding the wealth of CCP officials, the promotion of civil rights, and seeks the peaceful transition of China to constitutionalism. On Aug. 13, Ding's wife, Sophie Luo, responded to Lawlor's statement. In an X post, Luo said that, like her, the family members of other prisoners of conscience don't need to know the full extent of the suffering their loved ones have endured in prison. 'What we need is for the Chinese Communist Party to release them immediately and unconditionally,' Luo wrote. 'Immediately and unconditionally release Ding Jiaxi. Immediately and unconditionally release all prisoners of conscience in China's prisons.' Lawlor also renewed her call to China to clarify Gao's fate and whereabouts, questioning Beijing's previous claims about not holding him in custody or subjecting him to enforced disappearance. 'Gao Zhisheng has been missing for almost eight years and the Chinese Government's refusal to engage on his enforced disappearance is totally unacceptable,' Lawlor stated. 'If he is not in detention, prison or under house arrest, then the authorities must reveal what steps they have taken to ascertain what has happened to him.' Gao was under house arrest before disappearing from his home in northern China's Shaanxi Province on Aug. 13, 2017. A self-taught lawyer and a devoted Christian, Gao began practicing law in 1996, defending victims of government land seizures; families of miners, who are seeking compensation after their loved ones died in coal mining accidents; as well as persecuted Christians and Falun Gong practitioners. On Aug. 13, Gao's wife, Geng He, described on social media her husband's case as illustrative of China's 'systematic, persistent, brutal, and unrelenting' effort to carry out human rights violations. 'For eight years, he has not been seen, not been heard, and his family has not received a single phone call from him,' she wrote. 'This is not only a devastating blow to a lawyer and a citizen, but also a public humiliation to the rule of law and humanity.'
Epoch Times
7 minutes ago
- Epoch Times
Beijing Tightens Grip Ahead of Military Parade, Disrupting Daily Life and Targeting Petitioners
The Chinese regime has stepped up security and imposed sweeping restrictions ahead of a massive military parade on Sept. 3 to mark what the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) calls the 80th anniversary of the 'War of Resistance Against Japan.' The event in Tiananmen Square is expected to feature thousands of troops, military hardware, and dignitaries, with large-scale rehearsals continuing through August. The latest overnight rehearsal, held Aug. 9–10, drew about 22,000 participants, according to Chinese state media Xinhua News Agency. The CCP described it as a 'comprehensive' drill, covering the commemorative ceremony and testing organizational and command procedures. Roads were closed, subway stops bypassed, and visitors diverted from restricted zones. Another rehearsal is set for Aug. 16. Daily Life Disrupted For many Beijingers, the buildup has meant weeks of disruption. 'You can't go in or out freely,' Mr. Wang, a local resident who withheld his full name for fear of reprisal, told The Epoch Times. 'The subway skips stops near Tiananmen, and this has been going on for days.' Stores in affected areas have shuttered, and public transport routes have been altered to avoid the city center around Tiananmen Square. Social media users report a heavy police presence in commercial hubs such as Wangfujing, where hotel guests cannot leave without registering. Some residential compounds have barred food delivery drivers, causing significant inconvenience to locals. Petitioners Face Suppression The clampdown has hit petitioners especially hard. Petitioners are Chinese people who travel to Beijing or other major cities to file grievances with the regime's authorities. While petitioning is nominally a legal channel for complaints under the CCP's authoritarian rule, petitioners are often harassed, detained, or forcibly returned home. On Aug. 10, Chongqing petitioner Lu Junling said on Chinese social media platform WeChat that she and fellow petitioner Zhang Yanyu were pulled from a long-distance bus at a highway rest stop by two men in black claiming to be police, along with a local official. Accused of 'disturbing public order,' Lu said she was injured during the encounter and called it 'an unlawful interception and restriction of my personal freedom.' Even petitioners not heading to Beijing have been targeted. That same morning, another Chongqing resident, Xu Tingfen, said police came to her home shortly after she mentioned in a group chat that she planned to travel to Sichuan Province. Xu, who has been pursuing a property dispute for more than 20 years, said officials 'are afraid of us moving around, but they won't solve our problems.' In Guangdong Province, petitioner Chen Guifang reported that local police visited her home after officials from her hometown contacted them, apparently fearing she would travel to the capital. 'The corrupt officials are afraid that I will bring my grievances to the capital,' Chen said. Detentions Turn Violent In some cases, detentions in Beijing have escalated to violence. On Aug. 9 in the city's Fengtai District, eight police officers detained disabled Chinese veteran and former police officer Liu Jie and his wife, Fu Haixia, on a public sidewalk. Liu was released that evening and recounted his experience on social media, but Fu was taken to a police station on suspicion of 'infringing personal information.' Her family says she has been held without a detention notice for more than 24 hours. Liu has filed an urgent request with prosecutors, accusing police of illegal detention and demanding her release. Petitioners have also been seized outside government petition offices. On Aug. 6, Shandong petitioner Han Daqian disappeared after being taken by personnel from his hometown of Yantai outside the National Public Complaints and Proposals Administration in Beijing, which is the CCP office that is designated to handle petitions from all across the country. Han had been seeking answers in the death of his college-age son, who drowned during an outing with classmates. His family says he has been beaten before for petitioning and that his current whereabouts are unknown. Political Theater at the Public's Expense Security experts say such measures are common in China ahead of politically sensitive events. Mr. Long, a Beijing-based media professional who withheld his full name, told The Epoch Times that the parade preparations follow a familiar pattern seen during the annual 'Two Sessions' meetings of the CCP's rubber-stamp legislature, when streets are cleared and movement is tightly controlled. 'Every year during the 'Two Sessions,' they clear the streets, put more guards on buses and subways, and make it very inconvenient to get around,' he said. The upcoming parade, according to Mr. Long, is 'political theater' that consumes public resources while offering no tangible benefits to ordinary citizens. 'The streets are full of armed police, auxiliary officers, and barricades. Around Tiananmen Square, there are fences everywhere. Even in front of universities like Tsinghua and Peking, it feels like you're walking into a security compound,' he said. Nationalism and Control The CCP has framed the Sept. 3 parade as a patriotic celebration of China's role in the 1937–1945 World War II campaign against Japan, portraying it as a pivotal moment in the Party's rise. However, the reality was that the Nationalist government, not the CCP, led most of the fighting during that era. In recent years, the Party has invested heavily in commemorations that blend nationalism with military displays. For Beijing residents and petitioners nationwide, the lead-up to the event has meant disruption, uncertainty, and in some cases, the loss of personal freedom. With more rehearsals planned and security measures expected to remain in place until after the parade, many say that the city's festive facade conceals an atmosphere of tension and control.
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Veteran analyst drops blunt 7-word take on AMD's China deal
Veteran analyst drops blunt 7-word take on AMD's China deal originally appeared on TheStreet. Bernstein's Stacy Rasgon isn't holding back on AMD's () new path to China's AI chip market. The tech giant struck an agreement with Washington, which effectively reopens sales of its high-end MI308 chips to Chinese customers. It does, however, come at a cost that's raising eyebrows on Wall Street. 💵💰💰💵 The change has the potential to do a lot of things, including shifting competitive dynamics, while setting a new tone for how U.S. chipmakers navigate future trade rules. Also, it opens up a Pandora's box on policy, precedent, and long-term strategy. For AMD, the stakes go beyond quarterly numbers, and Rasgon's pertinent take hints at broader industry consequences that could play out far beyond a single deal. Wall Street weighs pros and cons of U.S.-China AI chip deal The Trump administration struck what many would call an unusual agreement with China in a breakthrough for the AI chip market. The new deal allows Nvidia () and AMD to resume selling certain AI chips (Nvidia's H20 and AMD's MI308) in return, though, both giants need to pay 15% of those sales back to Washington. President Donald Trump had initially pushed for a 20% cut, with the revised stance showing that the approved chips don't compromise national security. Commerce has already begun issuing export licenses. The market reaction was mostly mixed. The bars see the arrangement as a 'pay-to-play' model, which sets a broader precedent for export-controlled sectors, likening it to an unofficial export tax. They warn it could significantly impede how businesses allocate capital and plan product strategies. Supporters, however, argue that gaining back access to the world's second-largest AI market outweighs the cost. Tight supply enables Nvidia to pass much of the 15% dent to customers, keeping margin erosion to a minimum while keeping China in its customer base. Nevertheless, the risks remain, especially if Beijing discourages approved chip purchases, undercutting demand. On top of that, legal and political hiccups over the constitutionality and long-term wisdom of the policy are also a possibility that can't be ignored. Bernstein's Stacy Rasgon: "Keeping 85% is better than zero percent" in AMD's China deal 'Keeping 85% is better than zero percent.' That's how Bernstein analyst Stacy Rasgon frames AMD's unique deal to resume AI chip sales in China, even if it entails giving up a sizeable revenue cut. As discussed earlier, the deal green-lights AMD's MI308 AI chip sales in China again after earlier export comes with a steep price tag, though: a hefty 15% of a sales cut that goes straight to Washington. Rasgon sees it mostly as a 'mixed bag.' On one hand, it gives AMD access to a rapidly growing market that's just too big to ignore. On the other hand, it could potentially slash 5 to 15 percentage points off gross margins for the affected products, potentially resulting in several hundred million dollars lost each year. Some of the hits could be passed along to consumers, but Rasgon warns that policy could be a big push for Chinese players like Huawei to supercharge their own AI chip development efforts. He also flagged a key tactical gap where Nvidia is designing export-compliant chips that could potentially avoid such fees, while AMD is yet to reveal any comparable China-specific products. For now, Rasgon is sticking with a Market Perform rating and $140 price target, which effectively reflects the current balancing act for investors. AMD posts record Q2 sales, eyes China as a second-half swing factor That said, it's imperative to recap AMD's mixed Q2 results, spurring investor sentiment in the process. It did post record revenue of $7.69 billion, up 32% from a year ago, while comfortably beating Wall Street estimates. However, its Non-GAAP EPS came in at $0.48, while GAAP EPS was $0.54. The culprit was roughly an $800 million inventory and related charges linked to U.S. export controls on its MI308 data-center GPU. Strip those charges away, and the non-GAAP gross margin would have been roughly 54% instead of 43%. More News: Tesla just got its biggest break yet in the robotaxi wars with a key permit Bank of America drops shocking price target on hot weight-loss stock post-earnings JPMorgan drops 3-word verdict on Amazon stock post-earnings Zeroing in on specific segments, Data Center sales came in at $3.2 billion, up 14% year over year. A big part of that was its strong EPYC CPU sales, which efficiently offset GPU headwinds in China. Client sales hit a stupendous $2.5 billion, up 67% on Ryzen demand. Similarly, Gaming rose 73% to $1.1 billion, while Embedded sales were a downer, slipping 4% to $824 million. These results took AMD's free cash flow to a whopping $1.18 billion. For Q3, its management guided to about $8.7 billion in sales (±$300 million) and a 54% non-GAAP gross margin, excluding any MI308 sales to China. Nevertheless, China is set to be the wild card for the rest of the year. With the export licenses approved, AMD can now offset part of the fee through pricing, resulting in a stronger Q3 showing. Hence, the bigger picture is clear, which shows that operational strength remains, but China policy will help define AMD's trajectory for the remainder of the analyst drops blunt 7-word take on AMD's China deal first appeared on TheStreet on Aug 12, 2025 This story was originally reported by TheStreet on Aug 12, 2025, where it first appeared. Sign in to access your portfolio
