A new round of trade talks between the U.S. and China begins in Beijing this week, with both sides hoping to reach a trade deal by the end of this month.<br />Ro Aram reports. <br />Working-level talks will to kick off Monday, while higher principal-level talks will take place Thursday and Friday with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in attendance.<br />Investors will be looking to see if both sides can hammer out a deal before a March 1st deadline to avert higher U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods.<br />However, prospects are not looking good.<br />Lighthizer said recently that it's not certain a pact could be reached.<br />President Trump has also said he's unlikely to meet President Xi Jinping before the deadline, dampening hopes of a speedy resolution.<br />If a deal is not reached by the beginning of next month then Washington is set to more than double tariffs on 200 billion dollars-worth of Chinese imports.<br />U.S. officials have said March 1st is a hard deadline, but President Trump has suggested a possible extension if progress was being made.<br />There are still many sticking points to iron out.<br />U.S. negotiators will likely continue to urge China to make structural reforms and end what the U.S. claims to be unfair trade practices.<br />These include accusations of intellectual property theft and forcing American companies to share their technology with Chinese firms.<br />Beijing denies it engages in such practices.<br />Ro Aram, Arirang News. <br />
