G-20 Ministers to Discuss Trade, Digital Economy from Sat.

Tokyo, June 5 (Jiji Press)--A Group of 20 ministerial meeting on trade and the digital economy will be held in the city of Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, for two days from Saturday, with major topics seen including the reform of the World Trade Organization and the promotion of data distribution. Japan, which hosts the meeting, hopes to lead discussions on such issues, but it is likely to face tough coordination work amid escalating U.S.-China trade tensions, according to informed sources. In May, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump imposed additional tariffs on imports from China and trade restrictions on Chinese telecommunications equipment maker Huawei Technologies Co. The battle between Washington and Beijing is shaking the multilateral trade system where the WTO plays a pivotal role. Japan also plans to set bilateral trade agreements, e-commerce and principles for developing artificial intelligence technologies as key topics. In addition, Tokyo will call on participants from the 20 advanced and emerging economies to agree to the idea of highly trusted, free cross-border data distribution, pushed by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Japan hopes that the results of the ministerial discussions will be reflected in the "Osaka track," an envisaged international framework to create rules on the digital economy, at the G-20 summit in the western city of Osaka on June 28-29. Participants in the Tsukuba meeting will likely include European Union Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom. There could be an exchange of opinions on trade frictions and issues related to Huawei. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer is seen skipping the ministerial meeting. Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Hiroshige Seko, who is set to chair the meeting, told a press conference on Tuesday, "We hope to proceed with the G-20 talks while mediating between the United States and China, as Japan has good relationships with both countries." END