Mnuchin sees no US-China trade progress before G-20 summit

Treasury secretary argues Washington not to blame for global slowdown

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin speaks to the media at the G-20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting in Fukuoka, Japan, on June 8. © AP

JASON KOUTSOUKIS, Nikkei Asian Review deputy business & market news editor

June 8, 2019 16:27 JST

FUKUOKA, Japan -- U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Saturday that trade talks between America and China are unlikely to make any headway before President Donald Trump and his counterpart Xi Jinping meet later this month.

Speaking in the Japanese city of Fukuoka, where he is attending a meeting of G-20 finance ministers, Mnuchin said he would discuss the trade war with People's Bank of China Gov. Yi Gang one-on-one on Sunday, but cautioned that the meeting would not produce any definitive outcomes.