A new round of China-U.S. economic and trade talks was held in Paris, France, from March 15 to 16 local time. The meeting brought together Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
Guided by the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, the delegations held candid, in-depth and constructive discussions on a wide range of issues, including tariff management, bilateral trade and investment, as well as the implementation of outcomes from previous consultations. The talks also resulted in several new areas of agreement.
He Lifeng noted that under the framework of the leaders’ consensus, China and the United States have achieved tangible results through a series of consultations, following five rounds of economic and trade dialogues held last year. These engagements, he said, have provided greater certainty and stability for bilateral economic ties and for the global economy.
He also pointed out that the United States has imposed a 10 percent tariff on all trading partners under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. In addition, Washington has initiated investigations against China under Section 301, imposed restrictions on certain industrial enterprises, and created barriers related to market access. China expressed strong opposition to these unilateral tariff increases and urged the U.S. side to remove the relevant tariffs.
He emphasized that China will take necessary measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests if required. Beijing also hopes that the United States will work toward implementing the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, expanding areas of cooperation while reducing points of contention, in order to ensure the healthy, stable and sustainable development of bilateral economic and trade relations.
The U.S. side, for its part, acknowledged that stable China–U.S. economic and trade relations are of great importance to the world. Such stability, it noted, contributes to global economic growth, the security of supply chains, and financial stability. Both sides agreed on the need to narrow differences, prevent the escalation of disputes, and resolve existing issues through continued dialogue and consultation.
Source: Subarna-Alim-Xue Feifei, China Media Group.