China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday urged the United States to join efforts to bring China-US relations onto a more constructive track, as tensions escalate over recent US trade and technology curbs.
In a Beijing meeting with US Ambassador David Perdue, Wang stressed that China has been firmly putting into practice the understandings reached in last month’s Geneva trade negotiations. But he voiced dismay at what he termed a series of “negative measures” recently put in place by Washington and said to be opposed strongly by Beijing.
“Bilateral relations are at a crossroads,” Wang observed, adding that talks and cooperation are “the sole proper option.
Ambassador Perdue, in a tweet after the meeting, reiterated President Donald Trump’s concentration on pressing issues like trade, fentanyl, and unauthorized immigration. He emphasized that keeping lines of communication open is crucial for navigating US-China relations.
Tensions between the world’s two largest economies have ratcheted higher in recent days after Trump accused China of breaching a bilateral accord to reverse tariffs and other trade barriers. The US has since acted to restrict the export of advanced chip design software and other technologies to China.
While the Geneva agreement resulted in a fleeting 90-day suspension of rising tariffs giving hope to world markets it did not address underlying US concerns about China’s state-driven economic practices and export dominance.
Top American officials have confirmed that President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to have direct conversations shortly to discuss ongoing trade tensions, such as disagreements over key minerals and export restrictions.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Tuesday that the administration is “actively monitoring” China’s compliance with the Geneva trade agreement and announced a leader-level meeting would occur in the near future.
