US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross downplays prospect of major trade deal at Trump-Xi meeting in Japan

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross attends a press preview event of the upcoming Paris Air Show at the National Press Club in Washington, on June 6, 2019. PHOTO: REUTERS

PARIS (BLOOMBERG) - United States Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross downplayed the prospect of a major trade deal emerging from a possible meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Group of 20 summit in Osaka this month.

"I think the most that will come out of the G-20 might be an agreement to actively resume talks," Mr Ross said in an interview on Sunday (June 16) with the Wall Street Journal from Paris, where he was attending the Paris Air Show.

Talks between China and the US broke off in early May.

Mr Ross said the possible Trump-Xi meeting, which has not been confirmed, might lay out "new ground rules for discussion and some sort of schedule for when detailed technical talks might resume".

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.