Ahead of Thursday’s Trump-Xi meeting, Chinese Premier calls for adherence to international trade rules while both nations signal potential breakthrough
Chinese Premier Li Qiang issued a strong rebuke of protectionist trade policies on Monday, warning that the international community must reject a “law of the jungle” approach to economic relations. His remarks at the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Kuala Lumpur came against a backdrop of cautious optimism about resolving the prolonged US-China trade dispute.
“Economic globalisation and multipolarity are irreversible. The world should not return to the law of the jungle where the strong bully the weak,” Li stated, according to AFP. While he did not explicitly name the United States, his comments were widely interpreted as criticism of the Trump administration’s aggressive tariff strategy that has targeted China and numerous other nations.
The Premier’s remarks followed positive signals from both Beijing and Washington about the state of their trade negotiations. On Sunday, the two countries announced they had achieved an “initial consensus” on the framework for a potential trade agreement, raising hopes for a resolution when President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping meet on Thursday in South Korea.
Major Tariff Threat Withdrawn
In a significant development, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CBS News on Sunday that the administration’s threat to impose an additional 100% tariff on Chinese imports has been removed from consideration.
“We had a very good two-day meeting. I would believe that the extra 100% from where we are now is effectively off the table. I would expect that the threat of the 100% has gone away, as has the threat of the immediate imposition of the Chinese initiating a worldwide export control regime,” Bessent explained.
The proposed tariff escalation had been Trump’s response to China’s expanded restrictions on exporting rare earth materials—critical components used in electronics, defense systems, and various high-tech industries worldwide.
Progress in Kuala Lumpur Talks
According to China’s state news agency Xinhua, the recent breakthrough came after two days of intensive discussions in Malaysia between Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and US officials, including Treasury Secretary Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. These talks occurred on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit and established what both sides described as a “basic consensus” on potential terms for a trade deal.
President Trump, currently traveling to close ally Japan, expressed optimism about Thursday’s scheduled meeting with President Xi. The face-to-face discussions between the two leaders are viewed as potentially decisive in ending the extended trade conflict that has disrupted global supply chains and created economic uncertainty for businesses on both sides of the Pacific.
The outcome of Thursday’s meeting could have far-reaching implications not only for US-China relations but for the broader architecture of international trade in an increasingly multipolar world.
