China Wants No US Trade War, ‘Not Afraid of Fighting One,’ Says Foreign Ministry

China wouldn’t confirm accounts from Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin over the weekend that Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping will meet during the G20 summit this month in Osaka, Japan. “We note the US public statements that it looks forward to a meeting between the two heads of state,” said a Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Monday. “We will release information on this when we have it. We also noticed US remarks that it will decide its next steps on trade based on how the summit in Osaka turns out. I'd like to reiterate that China's position on trade frictions and consultations is clear and firm. We do not want a trade war, but we are not afraid of fighting one. If the US is ready to have equal consultations, our door is wide open. But if it insists on escalating trade frictions, we will respond to it with resolution and perseverance.”