Ball is still in White House's court

By describing it as "a small step" in correcting the US administration's wrong practice, the Chinese side has, in effect, directly responded to the US administration's move to exempt certain products, such as computers, chipmaking equipment and integrated circuits, from its "reciprocal tariffs".

And by saying that it is assessing the related impact of this move and urging the Donald Trump administration to "take a big step" forward in correcting its wrongdoing, Beijing has indicated its openness to talks. Although that is foretokened by the US side further unlocking the chains and shackles it has imposed on bilateral economic and trade relations. However, reports suggest that the exemptions are just temporary and are to be moved to "a different tariff bucket" covering the whole electronic supply chain.

Beijing has made its position crystal clear: If the US administration wages a trade war, it will fight to the end. If the US side wants to engage in fair and equal-footed talks, it will do so in good faith.