TMTPOST -- China is reported to be sending a senior trade negotiator to U.S. this week, a sign that Beijing and Washington seek to build regular communications during their tariff truce.
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China’s Vice Commerce Minister Li Chenggang will travel to Washington this week, marking the first round of bilateral negotiations in the U.S. capital, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Tuesday. Li would reportedly meet with deputies of U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and officials at the Treasury Department, as well as representatives of the American business community in Washington.
Li, the top aide to Beijing’s lead negotiator, is expected to discuss soybean purchases, among other issues, but Beijing will continue to demand the Trump administration remove 20% tariffs related to the fentanyl trade before making any commitment of buying soybeans or other U.S. goods, according to the report. Li was also reported to push for U.S. loosening restricitons on tech sales.
A Bloomberg report later Tuesday echoed WSJ, citing sources that Li will meet with U.S. officials and business people in Washington this week. Li was reported to be there at least Thursday and Friday. A U.S. government spokesperson said Li’s trip wasn’t part of a formal negotiation session, according to the report.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun at a press conference dodged a question about Li Chenggang’s visit to U.S. “For anything specific, I’d refer you to competent authorities,” said Guo when asked what Li will discuss during his trip and if there are any more relevant details.
Prior to Li’s reported visit, U.S. President Donald Trump floated potential China visit this year. During his meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myun in the White House on Monday, Trump said he is mulling a trip to China as the two countries continue trade negotiations. “At some point, probably during this year or shortly thereafter, we’ll go to China,” Trump said. “We’re going to have a great relationship with China.”
When asked whether China is open to Trump’s visit, Guo on Tuesday said Beijing hopes the U.S. will work with us to jointly promote the steady, sound and sustainable development of bilateral ties. “Head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable and strategic guiding role in China-U.S. relations. The presidents of the two countries maintain close interactions and communication,” said Guo.
Trump on Monday also threatened to impose new tariffs of up to 200% on Chinese goods if rare-earth magnet exports to the United States are restricted — potentially destabilizing a fragile trade truce between the world’s two largest economies.
“They have to give us magnets. If they don’t give us magnets, then we have to charge them 200% tariffs or something,” Trump told reporters after meeting South Korean President Lee.
Trump emphasized that Washington holds leverage in the form of airplane parts, noting that U.S. aerospace giant Boeing has withheld components critical to China’s aviation fleet. “Two hundred of their planes were unable to fly because we were not giving them Boeing parts purposely because they weren’t giving us magnets,” the president claimed.
Commenting on Trump’s aforementioned remarks including his cliam that the U.S. has more leverage over China on trade than the other way around, Guo on Tuesday reiterate that China always follows the principle of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation to handle and grow its relations with the U.S.
Guo stressed China will firmly safeguard our sovereignty, security and development interests. We hope the U.S. will work with us to jointly promote the steady, sound and sustainable development of bilateral ties. We hope the U.S. will work with us to jointly promote the steady, sound and sustainable development of bilateral ties, said Guo.
