China Calls on U.S. to Reduce Trade Friction
(MENAFN) China on Tuesday called on the United States to improve mutual understanding over economic and trade matters, signaling a desire to deepen bilateral cooperation.
“On tariffs, China’s position is consistent and clear,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated at a press briefing in Beijing.
Guo's comments followed remarks from U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who told media on Monday that upcoming trade negotiations between Washington and Beijing could address China’s imports of sanctioned oil from Russia and Iran.
“The Chinese, unfortunately, are very large purchasers of sanctioned Iranian oil (and) sanctioned Russian oil -- so we could start discussing that,” Bessent said during the interview.
Guo emphasized the need for both nations to strengthen dialogue and reduce friction. He said the aim is to “build up consensus, reduce misunderstanding, and step up cooperation through communication and dialogue, and promote a steady, sound, and sustainable development of bilateral relations.”
“We hope the US will work with China to implement the important common consensus reached by the two presidents during the phone call, give foreplay to the role of the economic and trade consultation mechanism,” he added.
Earlier this year, tensions escalated sharply as the trade dispute between the world’s two largest economies intensified. During April and May, both sides raised tariffs on each other’s goods to triple-digit rates in a retaliatory spiral.
Subsequent rounds of negotiations in Geneva and London—led by Bessent and Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng—resulted in a temporary reduction of tariffs, effective through mid-August, as both governments agreed on a preliminary framework for a broader trade agreement.
A June phone conversation between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping helped further de-escalate the situation. That was followed by the first in-person meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
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