China denies offer of US$200b package to slash trade gap

US officials had earlier announced Beijing's offer, but Chinese foreign ministry spokesman says 'this rumour is not true'

A field of sorghum on a farm in Oklahoma. The US is China's dominant source of imported sorghum. China announced on Friday that it would end its anti-dumping probe into imports of US sorghum.

PHOTO: REUTERS

Mr Trump said on Thursday that his decision to order a review of US penalties on China's ZTE came directly at the request of Chinese President Xi Jinping. The Commerce Department blocked ZTE's access to US suppliers last month, saying the company had violated a sanctions settlement related to trading with Iran and North Korea and then lied about the violations.

PHOTO: AFP

Washington

CHINA denied on Friday that it had offered a package to slash the US trade deficit by up to US$200 billion, hours after it dropped an anti-dumping probe into US sorghum imports in a conciliatory gesture as top negotiators meet in Washington.