USA and China meet on Monday in Stockholm for tariff talks. Sweden does not participate in the negotiations, but takes the opportunity to have its own meetings with the respective giant economies. Several ministers, including Kristersson, have met the Chinese delegation with Vice Premier He Lifeng at the helm.
Among other things, the discussions have concerned global trade.
That is, exactly what they (USA and China) talk about without us interfering in their negotiations, says Kristersson to TT and continues:
Sweden is a typical country that is very affected by global trade. We do everything we can to support the global trade system, which is now being questioned in many different ways.
”Great efforts”
As the host country, Sweden's basic task has been to create good conditions for the talks.
We do not bear responsibility for the outcome of their negotiations, but we have made very great efforts in the last few days to create the best possible conditions for these two delegations.
The negotiating delegation consists, according to Kristersson, of eight to ten people, but with employees included, a total of one hundred.
The meeting between the USA and China in Stockholm is the third in three months. According to sources to the South China Morning Post, the USA and China will extend the countries' 90-day tariff pause, which expires on August 12.
No guess
Kristersson dare not guess whether the negotiating parties will reach an agreement in Stockholm, but "in the best case, we will know tomorrow afternoon or evening".
Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson (The Moderate Party) also hopes for progress in the negotiations.
I really hope it will be a breakthrough. Then whether it will be an agreement or not is difficult to say, but that they will get closer, she says.
That the EU and the USA have just agreed on a new tariff agreement paves the way for a solution, she believes.
