How the US and China can ensure their board of trade is effective

High on the list of deliverables agreed following the summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump was the establishment of a Board of Trade, albeit with little detail on its mission, responsibilities or operations. The White House expects the board “to manage bilateral trade across non-sensitive goods” while China’s Ministry of Commerce says the board “will discuss issues such as Tariff Reductions”. While not contradictory, both formulations are vague and hint at bumps down the road.There are two important ways to avoid misunderstanding and make the Board of Trade an effective mechanism – not only for engagement but also for action.First, both sides should take the time to agree on a detailed mandate, rather than papering it over or leaving that discussion for another day. Second, the US should apply the lessons of what worked and what did not work in past bilateral economic engagement bodies, including the Strategic and Economic Dialogue and Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade.