China trade delegation chief raises US restrictions at Washington meeting

Name: An unwinnable conflict? The US-China trade war, 5 years on
Uploaded: 2024-04-05T05:19:22.000Z
Duration: 14 min 45 s
Description: An unwinnable conflict? The US-China trade war, 5 years on

First talks for China-US trade working group occur days after Xi, Biden review progress on summit agreement to improve communications

Chinese vice-minister for commerce Wang Shouwen and his Washington counterpart Marisa Lago discuss tariffs and market access issues

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China’s commerce vice-minister Wang Shouwen. Photo: Reuters

Kawala Xie

Published: 1:19pm, 5 Apr 2024Updated: 4:07pm, 5 Apr 2024

Commerce vice-minister Wang Shouwen raised China’s concerns over US trade restrictions during a meeting in Washington on Thursday with undersecretary for international trade Marisa Lago.

Wang was in the US as head of the Chinese delegation for the first meeting of a China-US trade working group aimed at scaling up communication channels to better manage differences between the two countries amid their rising tensions.

According to a Chinese commerce ministry statement on Friday, Wang and Lago discussed tariff and market access issues. Wang also called for an expansion of cooperation and management of differences between the US and China.

The statement said Wang expressed concerns about the additional Section 301 tariffs imposed by the US and related investigation applications against China, as well as the “overstretching” of the concept of national security.

During the meeting, Wang also raised US sanctions on Chinese companies, the revision of trade remedy investigation rules, two-way investment restrictions, and unfair treatment of Chinese businesses.

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An unwinnable conflict? The US-China trade war, 5 years on

“China-US economic and trade relations should be a stabilising force in relations between the two countries. China is willing to work with the United States … to create a good environment for enterprises … to conduct trade and investment cooperation,” he said.