China Warns It Won’t Trade Away Core Interests

* Chinese, U.S. officials scheduled to meet on Thursday and Friday in Washington.

* Talks come as U.S. Commerce Department explores “alternative remedies” to ban on American companies from selling components to ZTE Corp.

(Beijing) — China will not budge on its “core interests” in negotiations with the U.S. to settle their trade disputes, the Ministry of Commerce said Thursday, striking a tough tone just hours before officials from the two countries start a new round of talks in Washington.