二、美國在中美經貿磋商中出爾反爾、不講誠信
II. The US has backtracked on its commitments in the China-US economic and trade consultations

美國挑起經貿摩擦后，中國不得不采取應對措施，兩國貿易、投資關系受到影響。雙方從兩國人民福祉需要、從各自經濟發(fā)展需要出發(fā)，都認為有必要坐下來進行談判，通過磋商解決問題。自2018年2月經貿磋商啟動以來，已取得很大進展，兩國就大部分內容達成共識，但磋商也經歷了幾次波折，每次波折都源于美國的違背共識、出爾反爾、不講誠信。
In response to the economic and trade friction started by the US, China has been forced to take countermeasures, as bilateral trade and investment relations took a hit. For the well-being of the Chinese and American people and the economic development of the two countries, both sides deemed it necessary to come to the negotiating table to seek a solution through consultation. Since they were launched in February 2018, the economic and trade consultations have come a long way with the two sides agreeing on most parts of the deal. But the consultations have not been free of setbacks, each of them being the result of a US breach of consensus and commitments, and backtracking.

（一）第一次出爾反爾
(I) The first US backtracking

中國從一開始就主張，中美經貿摩擦應通過談判磋商解決。2018年2月初，美國政府提出希望中國派高級別代表團赴美進行經貿磋商。中國展示了極大誠意，作出積極努力，先后與美國舉行了數輪高級別經貿磋商，重點就貿易不平衡等問題深入交換意見，并就擴大自美國進口農產品、能源產品等初步達成共識，取得重要進展。但是，2018年3月22日，美國政府拋出所謂對華“301調查”報告，對中國提出“盜竊知識產權”“強制技術轉讓”等不實指責，并基于此宣稱將對從中國進口的價值500億美元商品加征25%關稅。
China had advocated resolving economic and trade friction through negotiation and consultation from the start. In early February 2018, the US government expressed the wish that China send a high-level delegation to the US to engage in economic and trade consultation. Demonstrating great goodwill and positive efforts, China held several rounds of high-level economic and trade consultations with the US, characterized by in-depth exchanges of views on trade imbalance among other major issues. The two sides made substantial progress as they reached preliminary consensus on expanding China’s imports of agricultural and energy products from the US. However, on March 22, 2018, the US government unveiled the so-called report on Section 301 investigation of China, falsely accusing China of “IP theft” and “forced technology transfer”, and subsequently announced an additional tariff of 25 percent on US$50 billion of Chinese exports to the US.

（二）第二次出爾反爾
(II) The second US backtracking

中國政府以兩國關系大局為重，再次派出工作團隊同美國進行了認真磋商。2018年5月19日，中美發(fā)布聯合聲明，達成了“雙方不打貿易戰(zhàn)”的共識，同意繼續(xù)保持高層溝通，積極尋求解決各自關注的經貿問題。美國公開表示，暫停推進對華加征關稅計劃。2018年5月29日，美國政府不顧國內工商界和廣大民眾的反對，在雙方發(fā)布聯合聲明僅10天后就推翻磋商共識，對中國的經濟體制、貿易政策橫加指責，宣布將繼續(xù)推進加征關稅計劃。自2018年7月初以來，美國分三次對500億美元中國輸美商品加征25%的關稅、對2000億美元中國輸美商品加征10%的關稅，并稱自2019年1月1日起將稅率提高至25%。美國還威脅要對剩余所有中國輸美商品加征關稅，導致兩國間的經貿摩擦快速升級。中國為捍衛(wèi)國家尊嚴和人民利益，不得不作出必要反應，累計對1100億美元美國輸華商品加征關稅。
Taking a big-picture view of the bilateral relationship, the Chinese government sent a working team again to the US to engage in genuine consultations. On May 19, 2018, China and the US issued a joint statement, agreeing to refrain from fighting a trade war, to continue high-level communications, and to actively seek solutions to respective economic and trade concerns. The US publicly announced that it would suspend the plan for additional tariffs on Chinese goods. On May 29, 2018, despite the opposition of its domestic business community and the general public, the US administration tore up the consensus just ten days after the joint statement, gratuitously criticizing China’s economic system and trade policy, while announcing the resumption of the tariff program. Starting from early July 2018, in three steps, the US imposed additional tariffs of 25 percent on Chinese exports worth US$50 billion, and additional tariffs of 10 percent on US$200 billion of Chinese exports, which, according to the US, would be raised to 25 percent on January 1, 2019. In addition, the US threatened further tariffs on all remaining Chinese exports, leading to quick escalation of the economic and trade friction between the two countries. In defense of its national dignity and its people’s interests, China had to respond in kind and raised tariffs on imports worth US$110 billion from the US.

（三）第三次出爾反爾
(III) The third US backtracking

2018年11月1日，美國總統特朗普同習近平主席通電話，并提議舉行兩國元首會晤。12月1日，中美兩國元首在阿根廷二十國集團領導人峰會期間舉行會晤，就雙邊經貿問題達成重要共識，同意停止相互加征新的關稅，在90天內加緊開展磋商，朝著取消所有加征關稅的方向努力。此后90天里，中美工作團隊在北京和華盛頓舉行3輪高級別磋商，就中美經貿協議的原則內容達成許多初步共識。2019年2月25日，美方宣布推遲原定的3月1日起對價值2000億美元中國輸美商品提高關稅的期限。3月底至4月底，兩國工作團隊又進行3輪高級別磋商，取得實質性進展。經過多輪磋商，兩國已就大部分問題達成一致。針對遺留問題，中國政府提出，雙方要互諒互讓，共同尋找解決分歧的辦法。
On November 1, 2018, US President Donald Trump had a telephone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping and proposed a summit meeting. On December 1 the two presidents had a meeting on the margins of the G20 Summit in Argentina. In accordance with their important consensus on economic and trade issues, the two sides agreed to halt new additional tariffs for 90 days to allow for intensive talks geared toward the full elimination of all additional tariffs. In the ensuing 90 days, the working teams of China and the US held three rounds of high-level consultations in Beijing and Washington D.C., reaching preliminary consensus on many matters of principle for the China-US economic and trade deal. On February 25, 2019, the US announced the postponement of the additional tariffs scheduled for March 1 on US$200 billion of Chinese exports to the US. From late March to early April, the working teams of the two countries held another three rounds of high-level consultations and made substantial progress. Following numerous rounds of consultations, the two countries had agreed on most of the issues. Regarding the remaining issues, the Chinese government urged mutual understanding and compromise for solutions to be found.

然而，美國政府得寸進尺，采取霸凌主義態(tài)度和極限施壓手段，堅持不合理的高要價，堅持不取消經貿摩擦以來加征的全部關稅，堅持在協議中寫入涉及中國主權事務的強制性要求，導致雙方遲遲未能彌合剩余分歧。2019年5月6日，美國不負責任地指責中國立場“倒退”，企圖將談判迄未完成的責任歸咎于中國，并不顧中國堅決反對，自5月10日起將2000億美元中國輸美商品加征關稅稅率由10%提高至25%，導致中美經貿磋商嚴重受挫。5月13日，美國宣布啟動對剩余約3000億美元中國輸美商品加征關稅的程序。上述舉動與中美元首通過磋商化解摩擦的共識相悖，與兩國和世界各國人民的期待相悖，給雙邊經貿磋商和世界經濟增長前景蒙上了陰影。為捍衛(wèi)自身利益，中國不得不采取加征關稅的措施予以應對。
But the more the US government is offered, the more it wants. Resorting to intimidation and coercion, it persisted with exorbitant demands, maintained the additional tariffs imposed since the friction began, and insisted on including mandatory requirements concerning China’s sovereign affairs in the deal, which only served to delay the resolution of remaining differences. On May 6, 2019, the US irresponsibly accused China of backtracking on its position to shift the blame for the inconclusive talks onto China. Despite China’s fierce opposition, the US raised the additional tariffs on US$200 billion of Chinese exports to the US from 10 percent to 25 percent, which represented a serious setback to the economic and trade consultations. On May 13 the US announced that it had launched procedures to slap additional tariffs on remaining Chinese goods, which are worth around US$300 billion. These acts contradicted the agreement reached by the two presidents to ease friction through consultation – and the expectations of people around the world – casting a shadow over the bilateral economic and trade consultations and world economic growth. In defense of its own interests, China had to take tariff measures in response.

（四）中美經貿磋商嚴重受挫，責任完全在美國政府
(IV) The US government should bear the sole and entire responsibility for this severe setback to the China-US economic and trade consultations

美國政府指責中國在磋商中“開倒車”完全是無稽之談。在雙方磋商仍在進行的過程中，就文本內容及相關表述提出修改建議、做出調整，這是貿易談判的通常做法，美國政府在過去十余輪談判中曾不斷調整相關訴求，隨意指責中方“倒退”是不負責任的。歷史經驗證明，試圖通過潑臟水、拆臺、極限施壓等手段達成協議，只會破壞雙方合作關系，錯失歷史機遇。
The US government accusation of Chinese backtracking is totally groundless. It is common practice for both sides to make new proposals for adjustments to the text and language in ongoing consultations. In the previous more than ten rounds of negotiations, the US administration kept changing its demands. It is reckless to accuse China of “backtracking” while the talks are still under way. Historical experience has proved that any attempt to force a deal through tactics such as smears, undermining and maximum pressure will only spoil the cooperative relationship. Historic opportunities will be missed.

君子之國，先禮后兵。美國提出新的關稅威脅后，國際社會普遍擔憂中國可能取消赴美磋商計劃，關注中美經貿磋商何去何從。中國從維護中美經貿關系的大局出發(fā)，保持理性、克制的態(tài)度，按照雙方此前約定，于2019年5月9日至10日派出高級別代表團赴美進行第十一輪經貿磋商，展示與美國通過對話解決經貿分歧的最大誠意和負責任態(tài)度。中美雙方進行了坦誠、建設性的交流，同意努力管控分歧，繼續(xù)推進磋商。中國對美國單邊加征關稅的做法表達強烈反對，闡明嚴正立場，表示將不得不采取必要措施予以回擊。中國再次強調，經貿協議必須是平等、互利的，在涉及中國核心利益的重大原則問題上決不會讓步。雙方達成協議的前提是美國取消全部加征關稅，采購要符合實際，同時確保協議文本平衡，符合雙方共同利益。
A civilized country turns to forceful measures only when gentler approaches have failed. After the US issued the new tariff threat, the international community was widely concerned that China might cancel the consultation visit to the US. It kept a close watch on the future direction of the China-US trade negotiations. Bearing in mind the broader interests of trade and economic relations between the two countries, China remained cool-headed, exercised restraint, and sent a senior delegation to the US, as agreed, for the 11th round of economic and trade consultation from May 9 to 10. In doing so, China demonstrated the greatest sincerity and a strong sense of responsibility for resolving trade disputes through dialogue. In the following candid and constructive discussions, the two sides agreed to manage differences and continue consultations. China expressed strong opposition to the unilateral tariff increase by the US and stated its firm position that it would have to take necessary countermeasures. China emphasized once again that trade deals must be based on equality and mutual benefit. China will never compromise on major principles concerning China’s core interests. One prerequisite for a trade deal is that the US should remove all additional tariffs imposed on Chinese exports and China’s purchase of US goods should be realistic while ensuring that a proper balance in the text of the agreement is achieved to serve the common interests of both sides.