REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMPIN MEETING WITH VICE PREMIER LIU HEOF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINAOval Office 
 
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2019年2月22日
 
特朗普总统与中华人民共和国刘鹤副总理会面时的发言
 
椭圆形办公室
东岸标准时间 下午2:31
 
特朗普总统：非常谢谢你们。 很荣幸与中国的副总理见面，他在中国备受敬重。 我们在进行贸易谈判，贸易协议谈判。 我们有很多来自中国的代表以及—你们知道，你们大部分的人都知道他们是谁—数字来自美国的代表。
 
我认为我们相处得很好。 最终，我认为最大的决定和甚至一些比较小的决定将由习主席和我本人决定。 我们预计在不远的将来会面。
 
我只能说会谈进行得很好，但是我们要看之后怎么样。 我认为有些点是这个团队不会达成一致的，因为或许他们就不该达成一致，不被允许达成一致。 我想习主席和我会敲定最后的点，可能会，可能不会。
 
所以我只想说，刘副总理，非常荣幸和你见面。
 
特朗普总统：非常感谢你。 非常好。 告诉他：非常感谢你。 请你转达我最诚挚的问候。
 
我们的会谈进行得非常好。 有机会发生令人非常振奋的事。 这个协议将由我来签署。 我已经和国会在联系。 我已经在把近况告诉许多国会里的人。 我们现在正在对价值500亿的进口商品征收百分之25的关税—大部分是科技和高科技商品。
 
我们现正对价值2000亿的商品征收百分之10的关税。 三月一日开始这百分之10就要上调。 加到百分之25。 所以我们可就2500亿的商品征收百分之25的关税。 而且还有大约2670亿的商品是未征收关税，还没触及的，我们以后再讨论。
 
但如果我们可以达成协议，那就根本不需要那些讨论。 所以我们就看怎么样吧。 但我们已经有非常好的会谈。 你们知道，莱特希泽先生目前做得非常好。 但是要说做得非常好，鲍伯，是要把它谈成，才算数，对吧？
 
莱特希泽大使：是的，阁下。
 
特朗普总统：而且协议要是对双方都好的协议。
 
莱特希泽大使：是的，阁下。
 
特朗普总统：还有，斯蒂芬，太好了。 但你要谈成才是非常好。
 
威尔伯，桑尼—桑尼不在意，他只想要他们从农场主那里购买大量产品。 对吧，桑尼？ 那是你在乎的。 桑尼最关心的就是农场主，超出任何其他方面。
但赖瑞·库德洛，大使先生— 是国家任职时间最长的州长，你们知道。 他现在是驻华大使。 但他之前任衣阿华州州长24年，对吗？
 
布兰斯塔德大使：二十… 嗯，我本来会是，但是你任命我做大使。 （笑声）
 
特朗普总统：好，但你还是任职最久….
 
布兰斯塔德大使：二十二年又四个月，是的。
 
特朗普总统：是我国历史上任职时间最长的州长，我相信—
 
布兰斯塔德大使：没错。 没错。
 
特朗普总统：（听不清）从那时候。 而你作为州长工作出色，作为驻华大使工作出色。
 
而且我还可以说个故事，大使是个来自艾奥瓦的年轻人的时候，他去了中国。 他在中国和在艾奥瓦与中国人打交道。 他遇见当时的一个年轻人，现在这个人是中国的领导—习主席。 然后他跟他的夫人说－他回到家的时候— 这是几年前的事，大使先生？
 
布兰斯塔德大使：嗯，1970年— 他是1985年来奥艾瓦州的。
 
特朗普总统：对，但是—
 
布兰斯塔德大使：1985年。
 
特朗普总统：— 你大概是1978年认识他的，对吧？
 
布兰斯塔德大使：我1984年去中国，然后他1985年来艾奥瓦。
 
特朗普总统：所以他们结识，他回家跟夫人说：我刚认识了中国的以后的主席。 然后他们说：你怎么知道？ 他说：因为这位男士有极大的才干，我相信他会成为中国以后的主席。 数年后，他成为中国以后的主席。 而且他们喜欢对方。
 
所以要选驻华大使的时候，我就说：”我想我有个正确的人选。 他正好是伟大的衣阿华州的州长”。 而你的工作非常卓越。 但我觉得那个故事太厉害了。
 
所以，多年前，你说你知道中国日后的主席是谁。 我觉得— 我觉得这个故事太棒了。 他的夫人也完全确认，所以很好。
 
所以我只想要谢谢各位出席。 我们现在就要开始讨论。 我们在谈。 再一次地，我想我们正在取得很多进展。 我觉得非常非常有机会可以达成协议。 我们某个时间点会与习主席会面— 前提是我们如果能向前，鲍伯。 你能不能就会面的可能性说两句— 我们会不会….（听不清）
 
莱特希泽大使：在一些非常重要的结构性问题上我们取得了进展，采购上取得了一些进展。 我们依然面临少数几个非常非常大的障碍，但如果取得－如果我们继续取得进展，那就会是非常好的成果，我想刘副总理同意这点。
 
特朗普总统：取得很好的进展。 我认为我们取得很好的进展。 斯蒂芬·马努钦
，你怎么说？
 
马努钦部长：我只想要补充，副总理和他的团队已经同意多待两天，所以我们明天将整天开会，一直延续到周日，可以继续非常重要的—这是—大使在谈多份谅解备忘录谈得非常好，这些备忘录即将是有约束力且可强力执行的， 覆盖所有不同类型的行业。
 
如果我们可以谈成，这对美国公司是非常好的，让中国终于对美国公司开放。
 
特朗普总统：为什么你们要用意向书的形式，或是你想把它管做什么？ 对我来说，那是浪费时间。
马努钦部长：嗯，我们想要确定。 这些问题非常重要。 我们在处理几百个问题—从金融服务到货币，到强制技术转让，到飞机，到快递运送，到不同的行业。 所以这些是非常复杂的问题，大使—
 
特朗普总统：货币操纵－非常重要的话题，很多人没想到这有关系。
 
马努钦部长：是的。 那是其中一个领域，总统先生，我们其实谈好并达成一个协议—就货币最强而有力的协议之一。 但我们未来两天在很多议题上有很多任务作要做。
 
特朗普总统：货币你们谈了，达成最终协议了吗？
 
莱特希泽大使：货币有了，但我们未来两天在很多议题上有很多任务作要做。
 
特朗普总统：稳定货币。
 
好，威尔伯·罗斯。
 
罗斯部长：对现况我感到非常振奋。 我认为关税的状况是很重要的，如果我们可以填补更多空白，这可以作为一个好的替代。 但还有很多任务作要做，大家都说了。 所以要喝香槟庆祝还言之过早。
 
特朗普总统：还没，我同意。
 
部长，你说，对农场主，（听不清）。
 
珀杜部长：我认为现在双方在做的工作是非常非常重要的。 我当然很高兴听到有进展。 总统先生，我认为每个人都了解这个协议—如果有协议的话—最终将会由你和习主席完成。 我们了解这点。
 
很明显地，你这方有些很棒的谈判代表，副总理也有。 有很多细节要理顺，但最终你和习主席将会需要真正完成这个协议。
 
特朗普总统：我觉得在农场主和向我们的农场主购买产品方面，做得很非常好。 他们已经做了巨大的承诺要做到这点。 但这将会是一个非常非常大笔的农业协议。 这会是史上最大的农业协议，你想想看。 我不认为任何其他的能比得上，因为这是中国。 所以希望，如果我们达成协议，他们会购买大量各种种类的农产品。
 
大使先生，你希望的话，要发言吗？
 
布兰斯塔德大使：嗯，我想这可能是非常历史性的时期。 这是世上两个最大的经济体。 如果这些困难的结构性问题可以解决，我想不只对于中美两国，对全世界的经济都会带来巨大利益。
 
所以我知道大家都非常努力工作。 我们已经展开了多场会谈，在北京，在这里。 我们赞赏各位的努力工作，孜孜不倦。
 
特朗普总统：谢谢。 是，进行得很好。
特朗普总统：我认为这个关系非常好。 这是我最想说的。 至于我们会不会达成协议，谁知道呢？ 但我认为有机会。 但我认为这个关系是很棒的。 我认为我们现在和中国的关系比过去都好。 而这个是－你知道，这是很重大的发言。 我们的关系，主席—习主席和我的关系—我认为是有史以来最强劲的。
 
对我来说很重要的一件事是芬太尼。 习主席已经同意将芬太尼的销售刑罚化。 现在，它不是刑事犯罪商品，因为，我想他们把它称作“工业”还是什么的。 但是它不是一个犯罪商品。 中国的法律比我们国家严得多，所以中国的毒品问题不大。 他们有个叫做死刑的东西。
 
而中国的法律比我们严格许多。 但他们同意要将芬太尼的销售刑罚化，包括芬太尼往美国的销售。 这是很重大的一件事，因为，你们知道，就算不是全部，大部分的芬太尼是中国来的。 这在我们向毒品宣战当中，是很重大的一件事。
 
所以，我非常赞赏这点。 希望这是我们会中将敲定的另外一件事。
 
所以，取决于我们谈的如何—我们现在就开会—但取决于谈得如何，我们至少会再开一个会。 然后，最后，我和习主席会见面，讨论最终的条款和没有谈成的事。 但我觉得已经谈成很多，但他们要他和我同意最后的形式 。 但芬太尼对我们来说非常重要。 芬太尼的刑罚化对我们来说很重要，我们很赞赏。
 
我想要谢谢大家出席。 副总理先生，非常感谢你。 正如斯蒂芬所说的，他们已经延长出访时间。 他们要延长两天，临时决定的，因为他们正在取得重大进展。 所以他们要多待两天。
所以会是哪几天？ 周日和周一？ 还是—
 
莱特希泽大使：周六和周日整天。
 
特朗普总统：周日整天。 所以他们周日晚上，周一上午离开。
 
所以，正在取得重大进展。 我们看看会怎么样。 非常谢谢你们。 感谢。
 
问：总统先生，因为有进展，你预计要延后期限吗？ 还是会坚持三月一日呢？
 
特朗普总统：嗯，我把期限定在三月一日，现在是百分之10。 而我认为如果—我是指，你可以告诉习主席 – 我认为 – 如果我看到进展，重大的进展，延后期限就不会是不恰当的－保持在百分之10，而不提高到百分之25。 而我会偏向要这么做。 我甚至还没跟我的人谈。 大部分的人假设它就会自动开始—百分之25。 但那是我说的，我觉得是合理的时间期限。
 
但我们在谈我们都没想到会谈的事。 我们在深入地谈贸易，以及很多许多人想谈但没人想得到我们可以开始谈的事项。 但我们有单独一次的机会，达成对两国都好的协议。 我们将会把握这个机会。
 
所以取决于我们谈得怎样。 如果我们谈得好—杰夫，如果我们谈判谈得非常好，可能可以延长。 而且我不认为是长时间的延长，因为我可以想象如果要，斯蒂芬，大约再一个月或不满一个月—
 
马努钦部长：是，我认为我们预计是很快地完成。 如果我们未来几天到了取得进展的时候，提议你和习主席三月会面。
 
特朗普总统：是。 所以取决于他们未来几天谈得如何，我一定会加以考虑的。 好吗？
问：技术转让—回到贸易协议—我们听说你们在技术转上没有什么太大的进展—
 
特朗普总统：你想要谈谈转让吗？ 技术—
 
问：那还必须是协议的一部分吗 —
 
特朗普总统：好，我让鲍伯回答，你说吧，鲍伯。
 
问：谢谢。
 
莱特希泽大使：答案是，是的。 那是结构性问题的其中之一。 必须要处理好。 我是指，我们已经取得很多进展。 所以告诉你我们没有进展的人，他是胡说。
问：总统先生，你想要什么时候和习主席会面？ 预计在海湖庄园会面吗？
 
特朗普总统：或许会在海湖庄园。 或许很快就见，三月。 鲍伯，你有个日期吗？ 斯蒂芬，你有个日期吗？
 
马努钦部长：我们在根据你的日程安排做规划，总统先生。
 
特朗普总统：好，就这样—我们有两个日程安排。 我们会根据日程安排做规划。
问：华为和中兴的现况如何？ 你还是会考虑禁止中国技术吗？
 
特朗普总统：嗯，中兴缴了一大笔罚款，12亿，以前从来没人听说过的。 我们要大家来竞争。 我猜想这将会是我们这里谈的一个话题，鲍伯。 我们将会谈论它。 我们可能也可能不把它包含在这个协议里。
 
问：包含什么？
 
问：你会撤销刑事指控吗？
 
特朗普总统：华为和中兴。
 
问： 你会撤销对华为的刑事指控以作为协议的一部分吗？
 
特朗普总统：这些我们未来几周全都会讨论。 而且我们会和联邦检察官谈。 我们会和司法部长谈。 我们会再做该决定。 现在，那不是我们在讨论的事。
但这是一个问题：他们会达成协议吗？ 不会吗？ 我觉得我们很有机会达成协议。 但是双方都想要让它成为一个有意义的协议。 我们不想要协议— 我可以代表副总理说，我可以代表习主席说，我可以代表我自己说：双方都想要有实实在在的协议，我们想要让它成为有意义的协议，而非谈成了一个协议，但却没有任何意义。
 
我们想让这个协议持续许多，许多年，一个对两国都好的协议。 但我们想要让它有意义。
 
这样，虽然如此，中国的优势是多年的巨大成功，牺牲了美国，所以他们了解这点。 而我从来不因此怪罪中国，我怪罪我们过去的领导。 我们的领导在贸易上工作做得很差劲。 我国去年整体贸易上损失了8000亿。 八千亿元。
 
所以副总理了解这点。 所以这个协议应当在20年前就达成了，而不是现在。 因为，20年来，美国真的一直被占便宜。 我不是在怪罪中国，我们应该对他们做一样的事。 但我们却没那么做。 我们的总统未尽职责。 你想要知道事实吗？ 我们的总统未尽职责。

THE WHITE HOUSE
 
Office of the Press Secretary
________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                          February 22, 2019
 
 
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP
IN MEETING WITH VICE PREMIER LIU HE
OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
Oval Office
 
2:31 P.M. EST
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Thank you very much.  It’s a great honor to be with the Vice Premier of China, a very highly respected man in China.  And we’re negotiating trade and the trade agreement.  And we have many representatives from China and — as you’d know, and most of you know who they are — many representatives from the United States.
 
….
 
We’re having very good talks.  There’s a chance that something very exciting could happen.  This is a deal that would be signed by me.  I’ve been in touch with Congress.  I’ve been telling many of the people in Congress exactly where we are.  We’re, right now, getting a 25 percent tariff on $50 billion worth of goods coming in — mostly technology and high technology.
 
We’re getting a 10 percent tariff on $200 billion worth of goods.  The 10 percent goes up as of March 1st.  It goes to a 25 percent number.  So we’d be getting 25 percent on $250 billion.  And there’s about $267 billion that’s un-tariffed, untouched, which we’ll discuss later.
 
But if we could make a deal, we wouldn’t have to bother with that discussion.  So we’ll see what happens.  But we’ve had very good talks.  As you know, Mr. Lighthizer has done a great job.  But it’s only a great job, Bob, if you get it finished, right?
 
AMBASSADOR LIGHTHIZER:  Yes, sir.
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  And if it’s a deal that’s a good deal for both.
 
AMBASSADOR LIGHTHIZER:  Yes, sir.
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  And, Steve, great.  But it’s only great if you get it done.
 
Wilbur, Sonny — Sonny doesn’t care; he just wants a lot of products being bought from the farmers.  Is that right, Sonny?  That’s what you care about.  Sonny is more interested in the farmers than he is any other aspect.
 
But Larry Kudlow, Mr. Ambassador — the longest-serving governor in the history of the country, as you know.  And now he’s ambassador to China.  But he was the Governor of Iowa for 24 years, right?
 
AMBASSADOR BRANSTAD:  Twenty- — well, I would have been, except you appointed me as ambassador.  (Laughter.)
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Okay, but you were still the longest —
 
AMBASSADOR BRANSTAD:  Twenty-two years and four months, yeah.
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  It’s the longest-serving governor in the history of our country.  I believe —
 
AMBASSADOR BRANSTAD:  That’s right.  That’s right.
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  — (inaudible) from the time.  And you’ve done a great job as governor and you’re doing a great job as the ambassador to China.
 
And I might tell the story that when the ambassador was a young man from Iowa, he was in China.  And he was dealing with people from China — both in Iowa and in China.  And he met a man who was a young man, and he is now the head of China — President Xi.  And he said to his wife — he came home — and this was how many years ago, Mr. Ambassador?
 
AMBASSADOR BRANSTAD:  Well, 1970 — 1985 is when he came to Iowa.
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Right, but —
 
AMBASSADOR BRANSTAD:  1985.
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  — you met him in 1978 or so, right?
 
AMBASSADOR BRANSTAD:  I went to China in ’84, and then he was in Iowa in ’85.
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  So he met him, and he came home and he told his wife, “I just met the next President of China.”  And they say, “How would you know?”  He said, “Because the competence of this man is so enormous that I believe he’s going to be the next President of China.”  And years go by, and he became the next President of China.  And they like each other.
 
So when it came time to picking an ambassador from China, I say, “I think I have the right guy.  He happens to be governor of the great state of Iowa.”  And you have done a fantastic job.  But I thought that story was incredible.
 
So, many years ago, he said that he knows who the next President of China is going to be.  I thought — I just think it’s a great story.  And his wife confirms it fully, so that’s good.
 
So I just want to thank everybody for being here.  We’re going to have discussions right now.  We’re talking.  And again, I think we’re making a lot of progress.  I think there’s a very, very good chance that a deal could be made.  We’ll be meeting at some point with President Xi — assuming we go further along the line, Bob.  Could you say a couple of words to that as to the potential of a meeting — whether or not we will (inaudible)?
 
AMBASSADOR LIGHTHIZER:  We’ve made progress on some very important structural issues and some progress on purchases.  We have a few very, very big hurdles that we still have to face, but if we make — if we continue to make progress, that would be a great outcome, and I think the Vice Premier agrees with that.
 
….
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Made great progress.  I think we have made great progress.  Steve Mnuchin, what would you say?
 
SECRETARY MNUCHIN:  I would just add that the Vice Premier and his team have agreed to extend their trip for two days, so we will be meeting all day tomorrow and into Sunday so we can continue on a very important — this is — the ambassador has done a very good job at documenting multiple MOUs that will be binding and enforceable and cover all different types of industries.
 
If we can successfully conclude this, this will be very good for U.S. business and finally allowing China to open up to U.S. business.
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Why do you bother putting it in a form of a letter of intent or whatever you want to call it?  To me, it’s a waste of time.
 
SECRETARY MNUCHIN:  Well, we want to make sure.  These are very important issues.  There’s hundreds of issues that we’re dealing with — everything from financial services to currency, to forced technology transfer, to aircraft, to express shipping, to different industries.  So these are very complicated issues that the ambassador —
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Currency manipulation — a very important subject which a lot people didn’t even think in terms of.
 
SECRETARY MNUCHIN:  Yes.  And that’s one of the areas, Mr. President, we actually concluded and reached an agreement — one of the strongest agreements ever on currency.  But we have a lot of work to do over the next two days on many issues.
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Have you discussed and reached a final agreement on currency?
 
AMBASSADOR LIGHTHIZER:  We have on currency, but we have a lot more work to do over the next two days.
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  To stabilize currencies.
 
Okay.  Wilbur Ross.
 
SECRETARY ROSS:  I’m very encouraged by what’s going on.  I think that the tariff situation is an important one, that this could be a good substitute for it if we can fill in more of the blanks.  But there’s a lot more to be done, as everybody has said.  So it’s a little early for champagne.
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  No, I agree with that.
 
Secretary, go ahead.  For the farmers, (inaudible).
 
SECRETARY PERDUE:  I think the work that’s being done on both sides is very, very important.  And I’m happy to hear the progress, obviously.  I think everybody understands, Mr. President, this deal will be consummated — if there is a deal — by you and President Xi.  And we understand that.
 
Obviously, you have some great negotiators on your side, as does the Vice Premier, in that regard.  There are a lot of details to work through, but ultimately you and President Xi are going to have to really do the deal.
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  I think we’re doing very well with regard to farmers and the buying of products from our farmers at a certain point.  They’ve already made a big commitment to do that.  But this will be a very, very substantial farm deal.  This will be the biggest farm deal ever made, if you think about it.  I don’t think anything will be close, because it’s China.  So hopefully, if we arrive at a deal, they’ll be buying lots of every form of farm product.
 
Mr. Ambassador, would you say something, if you’d like?
 
AMBASSADOR BRANSTAD:  Well, I think this is probably a very historic time.  And these are the two biggest economies in the world.  And if these difficult structural issues can get worked out, I think it will be tremendously beneficial not only to China and the United States, but to the whole world economy.
 
So I know people have been working very hard.  We’ve had many, many sessions, both in Beijing and here.  And I appreciate the hard work and the diligence that’s going on.
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Thank you.  Yeah, it’s going very well.
 
….
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  I think the relationship has been very good.  That’s what I will say, more than anything else.  As to whether we make a deal or not, who knows?  But I think we have a good chance.  But I think the relationship is outstanding.  I think the relationship that we have now with China is better than it’s ever been.  And that’s being — you know, making a big statement.  Our relationship, the President — the President’s relationship with me, President Xi’s relationship with me — I think that it’s the strongest it’s ever been.
 
One of the things that’s so important to me is the fentanyl.  And President Xi has agreed to criminalize the sale of fentanyl.  Right now, it’s not a criminal product because I guess they call it “industrial,” or they call it something.  But it’s not a criminal product.  And China has much tougher laws than we do in this country on drugs, so they don’t have a big drug problem in China.  They have a thing called the death penalty.
 
And China has much tougher laws than we do.  But they’ve agreed to criminalize the sale of fentanyl, including the sale of fentanyl to the United States.  And that is a tremendous thing because, as you know, most of it, if not all of it, comes from China.  That would be a tremendous thing, in terms of our war on drugs.
 
So I very much appreciate that.  And that’s another thing we’ll be finalizing, hopefully, at the meeting that we have.
 
So subject to where they are — and we’re going to have a meeting now — but subject to where they are, we will be having at least an additional meeting.  And then, ultimately, we’ll have a meeting with myself and President Xi to discuss the final terms and things that haven’t been agreed to.  But I think a lot of those things have been agreed to, but they want he and I to agree to them in a final form.  But the fentanyl is so important to us.  The criminalization of fentanyl is so important to us, and we appreciate that.
 
I want to just thank everybody for being with us.  Mr. Vice Premier, I want to thank you very much.  Their trip is being extended, as Steve said.  Their trip is being extended by two days, unexpectedly, because they are making great progress.  So they’ll be here for an extra couple of days.
 
So what would that include?  That would be Sunday, Monday?  Or —
 
AMBASSADOR LIGHTHIZER:  It will be all day Saturday and all day Sunday.
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  All day Sunday.  So they’ll be leaving on Sunday night and Monday morning.
 
So, great progress being made.  Let’s see what happens.  Thank you all very much.  I appreciate it.
 
Q    Mr. President, do you expect to extend the deadline because of the progress here?  Or will you still stick with March 1st?
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Well, I set the deadline of March 1st, and right now it’s at 10 percent.  And I think that if — I mean, you can tell this to President Xi — I think — and if I see progress being made, substantial progress being made, it would not be inappropriate to extend that deadline — keep it at 10 percent, instead of raising it to 25 percent.  And I would be inclined to doing that.  I haven’t even spoken to my people about it.  Most people assume it’ll just kick in automatically — the 25 percent.  But I’m the one that said it, and I think it was a reasonable period of time.
 
But we’re covering things that we didn’t even know we’d be covering.  We’re going very deep into the trade, and covering items that a lot of people wanted to cover and nobody thought we’d ever get to.  But we have a one-time shot at making a great deal for both countries.  And so we are going to give it.
 
So it depends on where we are.  If we’re doing well — Jeff, if we’re doing very well on the negotiation, I could see extending that.  And I don’t think it would have to be a long-term extension because I would imagine that if it took, Steve, another month or so or less —
 
SECRETARY MNUCHIN:  Yeah, I think our expectation is to conclude this quickly.  And if we get to the point, over the next few days, of making progress, recommending a meeting for you and President Xi in March.
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Yeah.  So dependent on how they do over the next few days, I would certainly consider that.  Okay?
 
….
 
Q    Tech transfers — going back to the trade deal — we’ve heard that you haven’t made a whole lot of progress on the tech transfers —
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Do you want to talk about the transfers?  Tech —
 
Q    Does that still have to be part of the deal —
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Yeah, I’ll let Bob answer that.  Go ahead, Bob.
 
Q    Thanks.
 
AMBASSADOR LIGHTHIZER:  The answer is, yes.  It’s one of the structural issues.  It has to be done properly.  I mean, we’ve made a lot of progress.  So whoever told you we weren’t just didn’t know what they’re talking about.
 
….
 
Q    Mr. President, when do you want to have that meeting with President Xi?  And do expect to have that at Mar-a-Lago?
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Probably at Mar-a-Lago.  Probably fairly soon, during the month of March.  Bob, do you have a date?  Steve, do you have a date?
 
SECRETARY MNUCHIN:  We’re planning it with your schedule, Mr. President.
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Okay, so there — we have two schedules.  And we’ll be planning that with the schedule.
 
….
 
Q    Where do things stand with Huawei and ZTE?  Would you still consider a ban of Chinese technology?
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Well, ZTE paid a big fine of $1.2 billion, which nobody has ever even heard of before.  And we want everybody to compete.  And I guess it will be somewhat of a subject that we’re talking about here, Bob.  We’ll be talking about it.  We may or may not include that in this deal.
 
Q    Include what?
 
Q    Would you drop criminal charges?
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  The Huawei and ZTE.
 
Q    Would you drop criminal charges against Huawei as part of this deal?
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  We’re going to be discussing all of that during the course of the next couple of weeks.  And we’ll be talking to the U.S. Attorneys.  We’ll be talking to the Attorney General.  But we’ll be making that decision.  Right now it’s not something that we’re discussing.
 
….
 
But it’s a question: Are they going to make a deal?  Aren’t they?  I think we have a very good chance of making a deal.  But both parties want to make it a meaningful deal.  We don’t want to make a deal that doesn’t — I can speak for the Vice Premier, I can speak for President Xi, I can speak for myself: Both parties want to make this a real deal and we want to make it a meaningful deal, not a deal that’s done and doesn’t mean anything.
 
We want to make this a deal that’s going to last for many, many years, and a deal that’s going to be good for both countries.  But we want to make it meaningful.
 
Now, with that being said, China has the advantage of having many years of tremendous success at the expense of the United States, so they understand that.  And I never blamed China for that; I blamed our past leaders.  Our leaders have done a lousy job with trade.  Our country lost $800 billion last year with trade, generally.  Eight hundred billion dollars.
 
So the Vice Premier understands that.  So this same agreement should have been made 20 years ago, not now.  Because, for 20 years, the United States has been really taken advantage of.  And I’m not blaming China, but we should’ve done the same thing to them.  But we didn’t do that.  We had Presidents that didn’t do their job.  You want to know the truth?  We had Presidents that did not do their job.
 
….