US trade chief, Chinese Vice-Premier express ‘candid’ concerns on trade tensions

BEIJING - US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer held “candid” talks with Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng on trade issues during an introductory meeting, Mr Greer’s office said, as US President Donald Trump prepares to raise tariffs on Chinese imports further.

Mr Greer outlined Mr Trump’s trade policy goals in the video conference with Mr He, the Office of the United States Trade Representative said, describing them as aiming to promote domestic investment and productivity, enhance US industrial advantages, protect American workers and defend economic and national security.

Mr He also expressed serious concerns about what he called China’s unfair and anticompetitive trade policies and practices, the statement said, describing the talks as “candid”.

China’s Xinhua news agency reported that Mr He expressed “solemn concerns” over US tariffs during the call and said China planned “reciprocal” duties.

Xinhua described the call as a “candid and in-depth” exchange of views on key economic and trade issues, adding that they agreed to maintain communications.

The call came as US President

Donald Trump prepares to impose reciprocal tariffs next week,

a move widely expected to slap more duties on Chinese goods.

The tariffs are aimed at matching trading partners’ duty rates and counteracting non-tariff barriers to US goods.

Mr Trump imposed 20 per cent levies on all Chinese imports since taking office in January, accusing Beijing of not doing enough to stem the outflow of chemical precursors used to produce the deadly drug fentanyl.

China retaliated by imposing targeted tariffs of up to 15 per cent on some US goods, ranging from oil and liquefied natural gas to agricultural products.

The tit-for-tat measures added new strains to relations between the two major powers that have already sunk to historic lows in recent years, due to issues ranging from trade and technology curbs to Taiwan. REUTERS