Wall Street Journal Stands by Reporting That USTR Alleged Was ‘Baseless’

U.S. trade representative alleged Wall Street Journal accounts of negotiations leading up to the U.S.-China phase one trade deal were "totally false, untrue and baseless" (see 1912140001). The Journal stands by the reporting, emailed spokesperson Steve Severinghaus Monday. The newspaper reported the U.S. promised China it would cut all existing tariffs in half in exchange for huge purchases of U.S. agricultural products. The agreement announced Friday called for the U.S. to suspend putting the 15 percent List 4B tariffs into effect Sunday and roll back the 15 percent List 4A duties by 50 percent, but keep the 25 percent tariffs in effect indefinitely on the first three rounds of imports (see 1912130042).