US, China working to delay Dec 15 tariffs: report

US and Chinese officials are working on a deal to postpone tariffs set to hit Chinese imports in five days, according to a media report on Tuesday.

Delaying the new duties, which cover about $160 billion in imports from China, including consumer favorites like mobile phones, could help reassure markets the two sides are making progress towards ending their trade war.

Officials in Washington and Beijing say they now expect to continue talking beyond December 15, when the tariffs are due to kick in, according to The Wall Street Journal. US officials have reiterated that any final decision on the tariffs belongs to President Donald Trump.

At a Wall Street Journal conference on Tuesday, top White House economic aide Larry Kudlow maintained that “those tariffs are still on the table,” the newspaper reported.