Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng will travel to France from Saturday through Tuesday to lead a delegation in the sixth round of economic and trade consultations with the United States. The upcoming discussions mark another effort by both sides to manage tensions in their commercial relationship. Officials said the meetings aim to address several ongoing trade disputes and areas of disagreement. The consultations come at a time when economic cooperation between the two countries remains closely watched by global markets.
China has urged Washington to reconsider its recent trade measures and move back toward dialogue as the primary way of settling disputes. The appeal follows new US trade investigations designed to increase tariff pressure on several economies. Beijing argues that these investigations risk undermining the stability of the global trading system. Chinese officials say cooperation and consultation should remain the foundation for resolving economic disagreements.
According to Chinese authorities, the US has launched Section 301 investigations against 16 economies, including China, citing concerns about industrial overcapacity. Beijing strongly criticized the move, describing such investigations as unilateral actions that disrupt international trade norms. Officials also pointed to earlier rulings by the World Trade Organization stating that tariffs imposed under Section 301 measures violate established global trade rules. The statement reflects Beijing’s continued opposition to the policy.
Chinese representatives argue that modern supply chains are globally interconnected and rely on cooperation among nations. They say global production and consumption require international trade to balance supply and demand across borders. If countries focused only on producing goods for their own markets, officials warned, cross-border commerce would shrink dramatically. This perspective highlights China’s defense of globalization and open trade.
China also raised concerns about additional US investigations targeting dozens of economies over alleged forced labor issues. Officials said the government is reviewing these actions carefully and assessing their implications. Beijing has pledged to closely monitor the situation and take necessary measures if its interests are threatened. The outcome of the upcoming talks in France may influence how both sides handle these disputes going forward.