BEIJING: China’s top trade official expressed deep concerns to U.S. counterparts on Thursday regarding new trade restrictions imposed by Washington, as reported by state media.
The trade relationship between China and the United States has been rocky, with both sides engaged in a trade conflict for much of last year. A temporary truce was achieved when U.S. President Donald Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping last October.
However, recent developments have put this truce at risk. China criticized new U.S. tariffs announced last week on its products and those from 59 other countries, which were justified by the U.S. over concerns related to forced labor. Beijing cautioned against escalating tensions and warned the U.S. about the consequences of further trade hostilities.
On Wednesday, China accused the U.S. of attempting to harm Chinese companies after Washington imposed a ban on importing foreign-made humanoid and quadruped robots.
In a video call between Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, along with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, the Chinese side conveyed its serious worries about the recent economic restrictions. The state news agency Xinhua described the discussion as “candid, in-depth, and constructive,” highlighting talks on maintaining stable economic ties and addressing concerns in upcoming negotiations.
During Trump’s recent visit to Beijing in May, he extended an invitation to Xi to travel to the United States in September, but that visit has not yet been officially confirmed.
