Even though they're offering less than Trump has proposed, this represents progress that we're beginning to shift to more balanced trade with China. Any progress in that direction is good... presumably.

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China offered to boost purchases of American goods by about $25 billion this year, while the U.S. is finishing a deal with ZTE Corp. that would allow the Chinese telecom-equipment maker to resume purchases from its American suppliers.

President Xi Jinping’s government has started to quantify its commitment to import more U.S. products as trade talks between the two nations progress, according to two people familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the negotiations aren’t public. In particular, China has shown willingness to step up purchases of U.S. goods including crude oil, coal and farm products, according to the people briefed on the talks.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross was in Beijing from June 2-3 for the third round of high-level trade negotiations, which focused on China agreeing to buying more U.S. energy and farming goods, according to the White House. China has warned it would cancel any promises over trade with the U.S. if the Trump administration moves ahead with planned tariffs.

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