Sep 16, 2018

China considering skipping trade talks after threat of new U.S. tariffs

Khorri Atkinson

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He. Photo: Andy Wong/AFP/Getty Images

Beijing is considering rejecting an offer from the White House for additional trade talks later this month amid reports that the Trump administration plans to impose new tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The big picture: Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had invited China's senior economic official Liu He to return to Washington. Axios contributor Bill Bishop predicted that Liu might decline: "It's going to take a lot of backchannel reassurances and promises to get Liu back to D.C. The Chinese understand that there's disagreement among Trump's top advisers and Liu has been humiliated on two recent trips to D.C."

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Ina Fried

Government tech struggles to dole out coronavirus stimulus cash

Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios

Tech challenges are hampering federal and state government efforts to get funds from the $2 trillion coronavirus relief law into the hands of newly unemployed workers and struggling small businesses who need it.

Why it matters: Many businesses and individuals need the money now for essentials, including meeting payroll and paying rent.

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Rebecca Falconer, Orion Rummler, Marisa Fernandez

U.S. coronavirus updates: Death toll passes 9,600

Data: The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins; Map: Andrew Witherspoon/Axios

Recorded deaths from the novel coronavirus surpassed 9,600 in the U.S. on Monday, per Johns Hopkins data. More than 1,000 people in the U.S. have died of coronavirus-related conditions each day since April 1.

Why it matters: U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams said on Sunday the coming week will be "the hardest and saddest week of most Americans' lives" — calling it our "our Pearl Harbor, our 9/11 moment."

Go deeperArrowUpdated 42 mins ago - Health
Axios

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 9 a.m. ET: 1,288,372 — Total deaths: 70,482 — Total recoveries: 270,249 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 9 a.m. ET: 337,993 — Total deaths: 9,653 — Total recoveries: 17,582 — Map.
  3. Federal government latest: White House adviser Peter Navarro battled Dr. Anthony Fauci in the Situation Room over the use of hydroxychloroquine.
  4. Trump latest: The pandemic may delay a Supreme Court case on the president's tax returns, sparing him from having to release them before the 2020 election.
  5. 2020 latest: Joe Biden says DNC may have to hold a virtual convention.
  6. World update: U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson was admitted to the hospital as a "precautionary step."
  7. What should I do? Pets, moving and personal health. Answers about the virus from Axios experts — What to know about social distancing — Q&A: Minimizing your coronavirus risk.
  8. Other resources: CDC on how to avoid the virus, what to do if you get it.

Subscribe to Mike Allen's Axios AM to follow our coronavirus coverage each morning from your inbox.

Keep ReadingArrowUpdated 1 hour ago - Politics & Policy