Overnight, experts and pundits were stumped by the biggest geopolitical news from Thursday: how could China possibly - or feasibly - agree to a $200 billion cut in the US-China trade deficit, even if merely to placate President Trump. On Friday morning we got the answer: this entire story was nothing more than the latest fake news created by "someone" in the US official cadre, and the promptly spun by the US media without actual confirmation by China.

And so, the mystery of just how China would shrink its $200 billion trade deficit with the US died on Friday morning, when China gave the answer: it wouldn't, after Beijing denied it had offered the deficit-cutting package, just hours after it dropped an anti-dumping probe into U.S. sorghum imports in a conciliatory gesture as top officials meet in Washington.

“This rumor is not true. This I can confirm to you,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang politely told a news briefing saying "the question is about some US officials who said China will cut the deficit. As I understand, the relevant consultations are ongoing and they are constructive,” he said, adding that he could not elaborate on the specifics of the negotiations.

Commentary posted in an article on WeChat accounts run by Xinhua News Agency and People’s Daily overseas edition was less restrained, and said that the offer to cut China's trade surplus with the U.S. is "nonexistent" and that reports that China accepted the U.S. demand to narrow the trade gap are “purely a misreading."

The article said that China will "never negotiate under the conditions set by the U.S." and added that "two sides made progress in areas such as the U.S. allowing more exports of technology products including semiconductors, as well as lifting restrictions on energy exports" but stressed that "China won’t make unilateral concessions."

The article also underscored that just hours before President Donald Trump met Vice Premier Liu He, the two sides were at loggerheads on key issues, and concluded that negotiations are ongoing and called on China to "fight for the best, and prepare for the worst.” It added that “tomorrow is a crucial day” without elaborating.

As a reminder, a $200 billion reduction in the trade gap with China by 2020 was on a list of demands the Trump administration made earlier this month as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin led a delegation to Beijing. That mission left with little common ground with China and reports emerging of infighting among the U.S. officials. The U.S. merchandise trade deficit with China hit a record $375 billion last year. The Trump administration has threatened to impose tariffs on as much as $150 billion of Chinese imports to the U.S. as tensions over trade have escalated. Trump expressed doubt before his meeting with Liu that China and the U.S. would come to an agreement to avoid a damaging trade war.

“Will that be successful?...