China to send senior trade negotiator to US
The visit is a positive sign (Photo: Getty Images)
China’s key trade negotiator, Li Chenggang, will visit the US this week, signaling a revival of engagement between the two countries after Beijing and Washington agreed to a truce in their trade dispute, reports Bloomberg.
On Tuesday, The Wall Street Journal wrote, citing sources, that Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Li Chenggang is set to meet this week with US representative Jamieson Greer and officials from the Treasury Department. He is also expected to hold talks with representatives of American businesses.
Bloomberg, in turn, asked a US government source whether Li is indeed heading to the US. In response, the official said the Chinese official may meet with deputy-level officials rather than Greer or US Defense Secretary Scott Bessent.
A US official clarified that Li Chenggang’s trip was not part of formal negotiations, adding that Washington welcomes China’s efforts to reduce its persistent trade surplus with America.
The trade standoff between the two countries has been in a lull since early August, when US President Donald Trump extended a 90-day pause on tariff hikes on Chinese goods. Beijing followed suit by suspending its own tariffs.
According to Bloomberg, this pause has given both sides more time to discuss other unresolved issues - including tariffs tied to fentanyl trade (introduced by Trump against Beijing), US concerns over China’s purchase of sanctioned Russian and Iranian oil, and disputes regarding the operations of American businesses in China.
Jeremy Chan, senior China and Northeast Asia analyst at Eurasia Group, said Li’s visit to the US is an optimistic signal for reaching a deal, potentially paving the way for a summit between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to meet Xi and said today that probably this year or shortly after, he will head to China.
