US-China trade: cancel tariffs for Americans’ sake and don’t impose new measures, commerce ministry urges
- Latest comments come as US President Joe Biden continues to mull a lifting of trade tariffs imposed by the US on China under the previous administration of Donald Trump
- Chinese commerce ministry also reiterates Beijing’s stance that ‘US accusations against China on industrial subsidies are completely inconsistent with the facts’
While the Biden administration continues to mull the lifting of years-old trade tariffs on some Chinese goods, Beijing took an opportunity on Thursday to urge the US not to go in the opposite direction by imposing new protectionist measures.
The latest comments, by Ministry of Commerce spokeswoman Shu Jueting, came two days after a long-awaited meeting between top economic officials from both countries – their first such talks in nine months.
“China and the United States should meet each other halfway and make joint efforts to create an atmosphere and conditions for economic and trade cooperation, and jointly maintain the stability of global trade and industrial and supply chains,” Shu said at Thursday’s press conference.
“The sooner the US cancels its tariffs on China, the sooner American consumers and businesses will benefit.”
Shu also once again reiterated China’s long-held position that Washington should remove all punitive tariffs on Chinese goods.
Tuesday’s meeting, between Vice-Premier Liu He and US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, fuelled anticipation of a rollback in tariffs imposed under the former presidential administration of Donald Trump – a move that could help ease decades-high inflation in the US.