[Kristie Lu Stout, Host, "news Stream":] " Critical trade talks China's top negotiator arrives in Washington as the diplomatic battle over Huawei hits alarming new heights. Mass protests, Venezuela braces for outrage on the streets as President Nicolas Maduro tells Russian media he is ready to talk to the opposition; and the deep freeze, how people in the U.S. are preparing for historic and life-threatening temperatures. At a time on of dramatically escalating tension between the United States and China, crucial trade talks are beginning today. Beijing's top trade negotiator, Liu He is in Washington for two days of critical meetings with a deadline to reach a trade agreement just over a month away. If a deal isn't reached, there is a risk that the U.S. will impose tariffs on $200 billion worth of U.S. China imports, but hanging over those talks are U.S. charges against Huawei alleging the Chinese telecom company tried to steal trade secrets and violated sanctions on Iran. The U.S. has now formally requested the extradition of its CFO, Meng Wanzhou, who appeared in a Canadian court on Tuesday on a separate set of charges. But let's not ignore the elephant in the room. Could President Donald Trump get involved in the case against Huawei? A reminder, here is what he told Reuters last month, quote, "If I think it's good for what will be certainly the largest trade deal ever made, which is a very important thing, what's good for national security, I would certainly intervene if I thought it was necessary," unquote. Now, CNN's Matt Rivers joins us now from Beijing, but first, let's go to our Paula Newton. She is standing by at the New York Stock Exchange. And Paula, ahead of these talks, Steven Mnuchin, the U.S. Treasury Secretary has been making the rounds saying that the Huawei case is separate from the trade talks and also adding that there will be significant progress, but not everyone shares that optimism.
[Paula Newton, Correspondent, Cnn:] No, and we're dealing with a deadline where at the beginning of March and you highlighted what President Trump said. Not only did the Chinese take the President at his word, but also even Canadian officials took the President at his word. The fact that unfortunately, this Huawei case has become far too politicized and politicized, Kristi, because it goes to the heart of the issue that will be at the negotiating table today and that's the way China conducts itself in the United States and around the world when it comes to intellectual property. And it is not just the deal that they can arrive at the table, but how they can trust that kind of deal, how they can trust China to not go back on its word at the table. And I have to tell you, Kristi, that at this point in time this market that I'm sitting in right now has not priced in an escalation to this trade war and that is what has a lot of American companies worried. If we go back to where Steven Mnuchin talked about the fact that the trade is separate from national security issues, there are companies even here in the United States who just don't believe that. You had Christopher Wray, who is the Director of the FBI, stating very bluntly and very clearly that these Chinese companies are beholden to the Chinese government, a government that does not hold the same values as the American government, and that is very stark. It will be something that will be top of mind, not necessarily for American negotiators, but certainly for Chinese ones.
[Lu Stout:] These are high level negotiations. These are high stakes talks. Let's go to Matt in Beijing, and Matt, these talks take place against this backdrop of rising tension other Huawei. So there must be deep skepticism there in China about what these talks can achieve.
[Matt Rivers, Correspondent, Cnn:] Yes, I mean, if you're pessimistic about these talks, one thing you can point to in addition to the Huawei case, which of course is a point of national pride for China. It is going to be interesting to see how much that case influences these talks, but the other thing, we're talking about companies that are beholden to the Chinese government. You know, you can certainly make the case that private Chinese companies are, but you can definitely make the case that state-run companies are, and if you're looking for some intransigence on the part of the Chinese government, what the United States wants to see, for example, is China to stop giving preferential treatment to its state-run companies, to give all kinds of subsidies in key industries that the United States believes makes for an un-level playing field in addition or when you combine that with a lack of market access here to China for U.S. firms. But China's government has basically made that a priority. Over the last couple of years under Xi Jinping's guidance, China's government has prioritized state-run firms by basically giving them preferential loans and all kinds of subsidies. So if China's government has made that a core policy and the United States wants to change that policy, where is the middle ground there?
[Rivers:] And that is going to be a big reason for pessimism here is that you've got the United States wanting to see structural changes to China's economy that would essentially require an about face in a lot of ways from what from what we've seen in China's government over the past couple of years.
[Lu Stout:] Got it, so let's take things back to Paula, and Paula, the U.S., they want to see structural changes, they want free trade, they want better IP protection. Do they have the leverage in negotiations to gain that? Because as you know, companies like Apple are reporting falling sales. We know that the government shutdown there in America has caused the country billions of dollars is the U.S. losing leverage in these talks?
[Newton:] Certainly not in the short-term. One has to say that this is hurting China, as well, in terms of these trade talks and the United States continually says that in this strong economy that we have right now, we can suffer through a little bit of pain to get that ultimate gain that Matt was talking about, to be able to push the Chinese government to the point where they're saying that Made in China 2025, a point where they prioritize subsidies for those state-run enterprises will be off the table. The thing here, though, Kristi is the fact that when you look at the Trump administration, people are wondering what does a win take? And I can tell you, Kristi, having followed the NAFTA re-negotiations quite closely, you could have Robert Lighthizer who is the U.S. Trade Representative who is at the table today thinking one thing, you take that same package back to the White House and the thinking changes, I wouldn't say daily, but at least, weekly in terms of what a win looks like and what an enforceable win looks like against China. So that will be another dynamic at play today during those talks in Washington.
[Lu Stout:] Yes, it's going to be really hard to secure a win, a win that is definable and enforceable, let alone happening this week. Paula Newton live for us in New York. Matt Rivers live for us in Beijing. A big thank you to you both. Now to Venezuela now where more massive protests against the country's President Nicolas Maduro are expected in the coming hours. The U.N. says at least 40 people have been killed in recent clashes between authorities and supporters of the opposition leader Juan Guaido. But there are signs that the embattled President, Nicolas Maduro, might be ready to talk. In fact, he told Russian state news that he is willing to meet with the opposition, but he ruled out new presidential elections until 2025. Maduro was re-elected last year, but the U.S. and more than a dozen other countries don't recognize his presidency as legitimate. Now, in a moment, we're going to be hearing from Nick Paton Walsh from Bogota in neighboring Colombia, but first let's go to Fred Pleitgen in Moscow. And Fred, Nicolas Maduro, he has turned to Russian state media to broadcast his message to the world and he's effectively saying "I'm ready to talk."
[Frederik Pleitgen, Senior International Correspondent, Cnn:] Yes, that's exactly what he is saying, Kristi and it certainly is quite interesting that he would be sending that message through Russian media. Obviously, the Russians the big ally of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela, they keep saying they're firmly in the corner of Nicolas Maduro. They say they believe that he is the legitimate President of Venezuela and they will continue to stand by him. Now, you're absolutely right, in that interview with the RIA news agency, he said that yes, he was willing to negotiate with the opposition for the good of Venezuela and as he put it, for the good of the world, as well. He also did rule out those Presidential elections saying, "Anybody who was calling for him to step down for new elections to take place, that that is neo-colonialism on the part of the Americans and on the part of the Europeans, as well." He said he would be willing to conduct early Parliamentary elections, but a lot of the things that he said in that interview was basically praising the Russians saying the Russians are the true allies of his own government and of Venezuela as he put it, but then also ripping into the Americans and specifically the Trump administration saying essentially that he believes that the U.S. is behind all the troubles that he's facing in Venezuela right now. Let's listen in to some of what Nicolas Maduro had to say in that interview.
[Nicolas Maduro, President-elect Of Venezuela:] First time that this happened, this is simply the frustration in the White House because they cannot take Venezuela. It is very sensitive. What am I doing? I'm exercising my leadership. I'm being the Commander-in-Chief constitutionally. We have Russia's full support at every level and we welcome it gladly and gratefully. What did I ask President Putin? To stay in permanent contact.
[Pleitgen:] So as we know, President Putin and Nicolas Maduro have been in touch over the days since the uprisings there started in Venezuela. Also quite interesting to see that setting there, quite informal setting that Nicolas Maduro was giving that interview in. One of the other things that he also said to RIA and this was quite interesting is that he believed that President Trump was flat out, out to kill him that he said that all of this was being done in conjunction with the Colombians and what he called the Colombian mafia. And that if something happens to me, he believes that that would be on President Trump. It's interesting, of course, Kristi, also because there were some questions about whether or not the Russians may have sent some contractors to try and protect Maduro. Over here, the Russians were denying that. Maduro was asked that question, as well, his comment to that was, "No comment," Kristi.
[Lu Stout:] Fred Pleitgen reporting live from Moscow. Thank you. Let's go to Nick Paton Walsh standing by in Bogota. He is keeping a close eye on the situation inside Venezuela and Nick, the opposition leader is under pressure. We've got the Attorney General of Venezuela, the Supreme Court making moves against Guaido. How are they trying to limit his power?
[Nick Paton Walsh, Senior International Correspondent, Cnn:] Well, I mean, essentially, Juan Guaido is in a complicated position now because he has been recognized by external powers as the President of the country, but he doesn't really have any power over the government inside the country. The U.S. wants to get him to be able to distribute some of the billions potentially in Venezuelan state bank accounts that are currently held under sanctions, but quite practically, how you do that, we simply don't know. He is barred, it seems, by the Attorney General from leaving the country. He's had his bank accounts frozen. But they've stopped short of calling for his arrest and that's part of a delicate balance, frankly, here that the Venezuelan government has held with a man who has declared himself a rival government entirely. They have not had him arrested. He briefly was arrested over a week ago and then released owing to popular outcry, and Nicolas Maduro saying the whole thing had been a terrible mistake. Not quite clear of the accuracy of that. But, he, today is calling Venezuelans into the streets in large numbers, potentially. The last time we saw this on the 23rd of January, it was peaceful. It lasted a number of hours. There were clashes with riot police on the fray, on the edges of those protests with sort of young protesters who quite regularly have faced off with riot police in that kind of way. We have to see if today is really different and quite how Juan Guaido takes himself from this position as sort of being the figure head that some critics in the Trump administration say they prematurely recognized as the President before he really had any actual grip on the leaves of power. I have to stress again while he is still appointing diplomats abroad, some of them went to the White House to meet U.S. Vice President Mike Pence yesterday. There is another parallel institution that when you're inside Venezuela, it's very much the one that is running the country and so the essential question moving forward is does Nicolas Maduro still have enough money at his disposal in order to keep the military and the elite around him happy? To keep them fed and in power? And, therefore, willing to keep their subordinates in check or does that start to fray? Or do the numbers of people on the street we see today and everyone is hoping for no bloodshed or violence here, but that could tip people's opinions, too. Do the numbers on the streets make the military's generals who are key here begin to change their mind. Nicolas Maduro from the beginning has said he'll talk to the opposition, but he's also had caveats there where he is simply not going to relinquish the presidency. The important point today is quite how Juan Guiado will take this show of support on the streets and see whether or not he can turn it into some effective control inside the country. At the moment, he's a fresh face man offering a very positive message with a lot of international support and potentially, billions at his disposal to get the country out of an economic crisis. But that's a long jump away from practically actually having something he can do to ease the plight of ordinary Venezuelans Kristi.
[Lu Stout:] Got it. We have to follow the turnout of this expected mass protest in the streets of Venezuela today and also follow the money to figure out how this leadership crisis and political crisis is going to pay out. Nick Paton Walsh reporting live for us. Nick, thank you. The British Prime Minister Theresa May will push ahead with new Brexit talks in the next couple of hours. She was given a mandate to reopen discussions with Brussels by a Parliament vote on Tuesday. European leaders have repeated that they will not renegotiate the deal. Mrs. May will meet with opposition leader, Jeremy Corbyn shortly before talking to the European Council President, Donald Tusk. Erin McLaughlin is in Brussels for us. But first, let's go to Nic Robertson, he is standing by at 10 Downing Street, and Nic, in the end, Parliament was not able to wrestle control of the Brexit process. It is still in the hands of Theresa May.
[Nic Robertson, International Diplomatic Editor, Cnn:] It is and on the basis that she says she wants to go to Brussels and switch the backstop, the contentious backstop for alternate arrangements. She was pressed today by the leader of the opposition, Jeremy Corbyn during Prime Minister's Question Time. Of course, this coming ahead of what will be a private discussion between the pair expected later in the day. But Jeremy Corbyn asked her very specifically, what are these alternate arrangements? And she indicated that this would be essentially a potentially time limited backstop, essentially a backstop that Britain could unilaterally step out of. All ideas that the European Union has shot down. Nevertheless, Theresa May said that the E.U. does want to get a deal with her. This is what she said.
[Theresa May, British Prime Minister:] What has been absolutely clear is my contacts with the European Union leaders is that they want a deal. What this House voted for last night is to leave the European Union...
[May:] ... with a deal, but it also crucially showed what it will take to see support in this House for a deal in the future. I think the plan that was set out last night shows that we can attain a substantial and sustainable majority in this House.
[Robertson:] I think the expectation here in Britain at the moment is that Theresa May will have these conversations with E.U. leaders when they go to Brussels, but in a couple of weeks' time, the U.K. is going to be back where it was with her plan, having essentially not got what she needed in Brussels to convince the hardliners who she got on board yesterday, and to push the withdrawal agreement through. I think that the sense here that what she goes for in Brussels is beyond her reach.
[Lu Stout:] All right, thank you. Let's go to Erin now in Brussels. And Erin, what are the chances that the E.U. is willing to negotiate and what are her chances for Theresa May to get a better Brexit deal?
[Erin Mclaughlin, Correspondent, Cnn:] Well, you know, Kristi, ever since the Brexit deal was signed off at a Brexit Summit here in Brussels over and over and over again, we've heard from E.U. leaders say that this is the best and final deal, that this is the best agreement that both sides were able to reach in some two years of tense negotiations. The issue here is British lawmakers don't seem to believe them. And we heard again this morning from Michel Barnier in European Parliament saying explicitly that this is the best deal on the table. Take a listen to what he had to say.
[Michel Barnier, Chief E.u. Brexit Negotiator:] The only part I want to make is to confirm that the E.U. Institution remain united and we stand by the agreement we have negotiated with the U.K.
[Mclaughlin:] We also heard today from the Spanish Foreign Affairs Minister, Josep Borell say that last night, the E.U. learned three things from Westminster. First and foremost that Westminster does not want a no-deal scenario, that Westminster does not want to extend the Brexit deadline, and that Westminster wants Theresa May to negotiate. The problem is, March 29th is right around the corner. He said it takes two to tango and at this point, he says he believes the U.K. will come around to Barnier's thinking on this and that the best deal is the deal on the table Kristi.
[Lu Stout:] All right, Erin, thank you. And let's take it back to Nic Robertson. And Nic, we're just learning that Theresa May will be speaking with her Irish counterpart later on Wednesday and of course, that includes talking about the backstop and talking about alternative arrangements to the backstop. What is meant by that?
[Robertson:] Yes, Leo Varadkar, the Taoiseach, the Irish Prime Minister. We heard from the Foreign Minister in Dublin over the weekend, Simon Coveney, he indicated where there may be some latitude. He was very clear as have all the European Union officials who have spoken that the E.U. is not ready to open up the withdrawal agreement, that the backstop was the result of many, many months, indeed, a couple of years of negotiations where various ideas were put forward, various technical solutions, potential technical solutions were talked about, but nothing was forthcoming. And, therefore, from the Irish perspective and undoubtedly, it is what Theresa May will hear from Leo Varadkar this afternoon when they talk via the phone. From the Irish perspective, they are in lock step with the European Union, that the backstop cannot be opened up. But listening to what the Irish Foreign Minister said at the weekend, these alternate arrangements, he indicated that if Britain does want some help on its position with the backstop, it could look to the future relationship, the political agreement that will come between Britain and the European Union, remembering the withdrawal agreement is the divorce, the future relationship is how the relationship looks going forward. And within that, he indicated that there might be some help for Britain if Theresa May doesn't change her red lines on the Customs Union and single market and these issues. So potentially, that's what may come up in the conversation. We don't know. But I don't think anyone expects it to be an easy conversation Kristi.
[Lu Stout:] Not an easy conversation, but definitely, a critical one. Nic Robertson reporting live for us from 10 Downing Street. Erin McLaughlin live from Brussels, a big thank you to you both. You are watching "News Stream" and still to come right here on the program, disgraced former Nissan Chief Carlos Ghosn is laying out what he says led to his detention in the first interview since his arrest. Tens of millions of Americans are being warned to stay indoors as a deep freeze grips the middle of the country.