WASHINGTON (Reuters) -British finance minister Rachel Reeves said on Thursday she was confident that Britain and the U.S. could reach a trade deal to reduce the hit from President Donald Trump’s import tariffs, a day before she was due to meet her U.S. counterpart.
“We don’t always agree with the policy prescriptions and we’re seeking a deal that reduces the trade barriers between our countries,” Reeves told U.S. television channel Newsmax.
“But I am confident that a deal can be done, that our strong relationship – when it comes to defense, when it comes to security and when it comes to the economy and prosperity – means that we can strike a deal,” she said.
Reeves, who is in Washington for the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, is due to hold discussions with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Friday.
On Wednesday, Reeves said Britain was not in a rush to secure a deal and she ruled out making concessions on food standards in the talks.
In her interview with Newsmax, she sided with the Trump administration on its worries about China’s trade policies.
“I absolutely understand the concerns the United States has about imbalances in trade in the global economy, particularly when it comes to China that runs large, persistent trade surpluses with countries around the world, including the U.S. and indeed including the United Kingdom,” Reeves said.
She also stressed Britain’s commitment to increase defense spending, touching on another policy priority for Trump.
(Writing by William Schomberg; Editing by Paul Simao)
