China revamps trade negotiation team ahead of possible fresh talks with Biden administration

China’s Ministry of Commerce reshuffle lays out new trade team that would work directly with the United States, and in other international forums

Joe Biden said last month that he will maintain current trade tariffs on China and make no immediate changes to the phase-one deal signed a year ago

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The United States and China signed their phase-one trade deal in January 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 6:00pm, 20 Jan 2021Updated: 12:38am, 21 Jan 2021

Beijing reshuffled its trade negotiation team ahead of Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration, in the latest sign China is preparing for a possible resumption of bilateral trade talks with the United States.

Despite the damage done to bilateral relations in the past four years – including the trade war, finger-pointing over the origin of coronavirus pandemic, US efforts at technological containment, and confrontations over issues such as Hong Kong’s national security law and alleged genocide in Xinjiang – analysts believe a pragmatic and rule-respecting Biden administration will soon resume contact with Beijing and eventually return to the negotiating table.

The latest personnel adjustment came at the Ministry of Commerce, a core part of China’s trade negotiation team. Last week, Vice-Minister Yu Jianhua, 60, was appointed chief international trade negotiator – a position that has been vacant since Fu Ziying left the role amid the trade war in late 2018.

Commerce Vice-Minister Zhang Xiangchen has also been named deputy international trade negotiator. He, along with Yu and Vice-Minister Wang Shouwen, will be heading the office of international trade negotiations under the Ministry of Commerce. Wang Wentao, 56, was named the new commerce minister last month.

“China needs experienced officials to enhance its strength in negotiations,” particularly in terms of setting rules in international forums, deals and reforms, said Zhang Monan, lead researcher with the Department of American and European Studies at the China Centre for International Economic Exchanges, a Beijing-based think tank.

“[China] is now taking the initiative, rather than responding passively. [The appointments] are not only for China-US talks, but also for the development of multilateral rules.”

The priority for talks with the US will be normalising economic and trade ties, with the focus on high standards and rule implementation, Zhang said.