United States’ threat of tariffs on Chinese imports ‘just a negotiating tactic’, business leader says

Head of policy committee at American Chamber of Commerce in China phlegmatic on latest announcement by White House, despite Beijing’s rebuke

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The United States’ decision to push ahead with plans to impose tariffs on Chinese imports should be seen as a negotiating tactic, an American business leader said on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

Published: 8:15pm, 30 May 2018Updated: 5:31am, 31 May 2018

An advance party of US officials arrived in China on Wednesday ahead of the latest round of high-level trade negotiations, and the same day Beijing lambasted US President Donald Trump for his apparent turnaround on the issue of punitive tariffs on Chinese imports.

China’s commerce ministry said the advance group comprised 50 officials. A person familiar with the matter told the South China Morning Post they would probably seek to set the tone for the main trade talks, which are set to get under way on Saturday.

The American delegation for those will be led by US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.

The planned negotiations were shaken up on Tuesday with the White House’s announcement that it would publish a list of the Chinese imports – with a combined value of about US$50 billion – that would be subject to new 25 per cent tariffs by June 15, and its restrictions on China’s access to sensitive US technology on June 30.

Beijing was quick to lash out at the statement, which appeared to contradict comments made two weeks ago by US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin that Washington had put the tariffs “on hold” while the trade talks were continuing.

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