China remained strong on Wednesday, demanding that Washington cancel tariffs on China before negotiations.
As trade tensions with the US boiled, the Chinese administration returned experienced trade negotiators to Beijing.
Since 2021, China’s envoy of the World Trade Organization (WTO) has been appointed as the country’s international trade representative and deputy minister of commerce, the Human Resources ministry said in an online statement on Wednesday.
The signs of Li’s promotion first appeared during a symposium with domestic entrepreneurs on March 31 when he was called the “leader” of the Ministry of Commerce during a symposium with domestic entrepreneurs, according to a read from the National Development Committee, the country’s top central planning body that organized the conference in Beijing.
Beijing did not reveal the reasons behind the typical practice of remodeling within the Department of Commerce leadership.
This change comes amid growing tensions between Beijing and Washington.
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China maintained a tough stance on Wednesday in response to Washington’s comments. Foreign Ministry spokesman Lyn Zian told reporters at a regular Beijing briefing that Washington should stop “extreme pressure” before negotiations and cancel tariffs on China.
Wednesday’s announcement came when Chinese leader Xi Jinping visited Malaysia following a meeting with Vietnamese leaders during a two-day stop in Hanoi. His final destination is Cambodia.
China’s new trade representative
Li, 58, is a veteran trade negotiator whose experience with foreign trade officials dates back to 2000 when China tried to join the WTO, according to his book published in 2011 on China’s WTO involvement.
According to the Ministry of Commerce website, Li has a bachelor’s degree in law from China’s prestigious Peking University and a master’s degree in law and economics from the University of Hamburg, Germany.
Throughout his decades of career at the Commerce Department, he held important positions at the WTO, including director of the Convention Legal Department, which manages trade disputes involving China.
In February 2021, China confirmed its appointment as the WTO ambassador in Lee and as representative of the United Nations office in Geneva.
Li has repeatedly criticised the Geneva-based trade organisation and its allies in order to protect Beijing, while distracting attention from criticism directed at the administration’s trade practices and policies.
In a speech on February 19, the Chinese ambassador accused Washington of violating WTO rules when it enacted a tariff plan, according to a statement released on the Commerce Department’s website.
In response, US Ambassador David Bisbee pointed out the fact that China remains a non-market economic system and has failed to maintain its commitment since joining the WTO over 20 years ago.
“China has also sought to frustrate the WTO’s monitoring and accountability mechanisms, including a poor record of compliance with the WTO’s obligation to be transparent.
“Chinese approach is fundamentally at odds with the multilateral trading system. However, as has been clear for some time, the WTO has not been able to effectively deal with China’s predatory, non-market economic system.”
