German finance minister to discuss tariffs, push free trade in US

“The United States is an important ally of our country, and the transatlantic partnership is a pillar of our foreign policy,” Scholz said ahead of the half-hour meeting scheduled for Thursday afternoon.

Scholz, who is in Washington for the International Monetary Fund’s spring meetings, said he was looking forward to the exchange of opinions with Pence.

The European Union’s exemption from heavy tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump on steel and aluminium imports is set to expire on May 1.

Chancellor Angela Merkel is scheduled to meet Trump in Washington on April 27 ahead of that deadline.

Many countries are concerned that Trump’s tariffs, which he claims are to protect the domestic metal industry, could lead to a spiral of retaliatory measures that would threaten the global free trade system and cost jobs.

Scholz and Pence are also expected to discuss the Syria conflict following a joint attack by the US, France and Britain on Syrian government targets in response to a suspected chemical attack on civilians.

The strike has caused tensions to rise with Russia, which backs the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad.

As Berlin has so far refused to take part in the attacks on Syria, it could act as a go-between between the two sides, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas recently offered.

Source:afp