A White House official says the United States expects China to take immediate action to cut tariffs on US car imports and end intellectual property theft as the two countries move toward a broader trade deal.
US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday agreed to a ceasefire in a trade war that has seen the flow of hundreds of billions of dollars worth of goods between the world's two largest economies disrupted by tariffs.
The two leaders agreed to hold off on imposing more tariffs for 90 days starting December 1 while they negotiate a deal to end the dispute following months of escalating tensions.
China offered more than $US1.2 trillion in additional commitments on trade at the dinner between Xi and Trump, US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin had said.
US President Donald Trump (R) says China's Xi Jinping has agreed to lower tariffs on American cars. Source: AP
White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow on Monday said the figure was a broad benchmark and that China committed to start lifting tariffs and non-tariff barriers immediately, including reducing its 40 per cent tariffs on autos.
"We expect those tariffs to fall to zero," he told reporters.
Americans would also get a majority ownership in Chinese companies for the first time, Kudlow said.
Trump has made improving the terms of trade for the United States a signature of his "America First" presidency and has prided himself on confronting Beijing over trade practices that the US and its allies complain are unfair.
"My meeting in Argentina with President Xi of China was an extraordinary one," Trump tweeted on Monday. "We are dealing from great strength, but China likewise has much to gain if and when a deal is completed. Level the field!"
Kudlow, director of the National Economic Council, said he, Mnuchin and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer held private meetings in Argentina with China's Vice Premier Liu He, who told them Beijing would move quickly on its new commitments.
"The history here with China promises is not very good. And we know that," Kudlow said.
US President Donald Trump. Source: AAP
"However, I will say this: President Xi has never been this involved."
Kudlow said: "They cannot slow walk this, stall this, meander this. Their word: 'immediately.'"
Administration officials expressed a mixture of skepticism and optimism over whether China would deliver. None of the commitments were agreed to in writing and many specifics have yet to be worked out. Kudlow said US officials would monitor Chinese progress closely.
Negotiators will actually have less than 90 days to reach a deal because of holidays in both countries over the next three months.
Trump has appointed Lighthizer, who just completed a new trade agreement with Canada and Mexico and is one of the administration's most vocal China critics, to oversee the new round of talks, officials said.
The appointment may signify a harder line with Beijing and marks a shift from the past, when Mnuchin had a lead role.
On Sunday, Trump tweeted that China had agreed to cut import levies on American-made cars.
Chinese regulators did not respond to requests for comment on the tweet. Neither country mentioned auto tariffs in their official briefings of the meeting on Saturday.
