No second stage agreement between Washington and Beijing

US and Chinese officials said the second-phase trade agreement seemed less likely as the two countries were struggling to conclude the first-stage agreement. He added that the second phase will focus on a major US complaint that China is effectively stealing US intellectual property by forcing US companies to transfer their technology to Chinese companies.

But officials stressed that the US elections, difficulties in completing the first phase and the White House's reluctance to work with other countries to pressure Beijing diminish hopes for anything more ambitious in the near future.