Dr. Jonathan Ward, the founder of the Atlas organization, is cautioning against unrealistic expectations as U.S.-China trade deal talks resume this week in Washington.
"You have to understand what the communist party [of China] wants and essentially what the People's Republic of China really represents. They've broken every international agreement that's ever really mattered ... so you're not really negotiating with people that are going to honor anything," Ward said on Fox Nation's "Maria Bartiromo's Insiders."
Trade talks between the U.S. and China are in progress and are set to resume Thursday, as the two sides continue to work toward an agreement on a multitude of issues, the White House announced Monday.
US TO TACKLE TRADE ISSUES WITH CHINA ON THURSDAY
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will host a delegation led by China’s top trade negotiator, Liu He.
FOX NEWS POLL: VOTERS ARE FRUSTRATED WITH GOVERNMENT, NERVOUS ABOUT ECONOMY
The two parties will discuss outstanding issues that have kept either side from agreeing on a deal. These include forced technology transfer, intellectual property rights, services, non-tariff barriers, agriculture and enforcement, according to the White House.
The Chinese delegation reportedly won't be looking to include commitments on reforming Chinese industrial policy or government subsidies, according to Bloomberg — which would take one of the Trump administration’s core demands off the table.
President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan, on June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
Maria Bartiromo pointed out that President Trump has pledged to secure a deal that includes penalties for the Chinese if they were to break their end of the agreement.
"It's time for hardball," said Ward. "We're going to have to find ways to put real geopolitical pressure on China," he said.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
For more than a year, the world’s two largest economies have been locked in a high-stakes duel marked by Trump’s escalating penalties on Chinese goods and Beijing’s retaliatory tariffs.
The U.S. recently imposed 15 percent tariffs on about $112 billion of Chinese imports. In total, Trump has imposed or announced penalties on about $550 billion of Chinese products, or almost everything the U.S. buys from the world's No. 2 economy.
With that said, Ward doesn't believe a "real U.S.-China trade agreement" could be reached.
BRIAN BRENBERG: TRUMP NEEDS TRADE DEAL TO BE SUCCESS TO TAKE FOCUS OFF IMPEACHMENT
"Not a real one," he said, responding to Bartiromo's question of whether or not a deal would ultimately be made. "Not a meaningful one," Ward continued. "I don't think that the Communist Party of China would honor any deal anyways."
For Ward's full remarks including his perspective on the current protests in China, their technological advancements and the threat they pose to the world, join Fox Nation and watch the latest episode of "Maria Bartiromo's Insiders" today.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR A FOX NATION FREE TRIAL
Fox Nation programs are viewable on-demand and from your mobile device app, but available only for Fox Nation subscribers. Go to Fox Nation to start a free trial and watch the extensive library from Tomi Lahren, Pete Hegseth, Abby Hornacek, Laura Ingraham, Greg Gutfeld, Judge Andrew Napolitano and many more of your favorite Fox News personalities.
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox