China scrapped 30% of draft trade deal, sources say

Pages went from 150 to 105 after Chinese leadership objected to 'unequal treaty'

20190515  Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump

A rift has opened between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump over parts of a draft trade deal that Washington considers to be crucial. © Reuters

KATSUJI NAKAZAWA, Nikkei senior staff writer

TOKYO -- The U.S.-China trade talks broke down after the Chinese government returned to Washington a significantly reduced version of the U.S. draft, angering President Donald Trump, Nikkei has learned.

Sources say the original 150-page document, compiled through five months of painstaking negotiations, was cut up and reduced to 105 pages.

Sponsored Content

About Sponsored ContentThis content was commissioned by Nikkei's Global Business Bureau.