China accuses US of violating trade truce, vows firm response
[SINGAPORE] China accused the US of violating their recent trade deal and vowed to take measures to defend its interests, dimming the prospect of an immediate leadership call that US President Donald Trump wants to have to further bilateral talks.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce issued a statement on Monday (Jun 2) rebuking the US president's claim that Beijing breached the consensus reached in Geneva last month. The dust-up threatened to upend trade relations even as Trump expressed hope on Friday that he will speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping, with White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett expecting a call to take place this week.
Beijing accused the US of unilaterally introducing new discriminatory restrictions, including new guidelines on artificial intelligence chip export controls, curbs on chip design software sales to China and the revocation of Chinese student visas.
'If the US insists on its own way and continues to damage China's interests, China will continue to take resolute and forceful measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests,' the ministry said. It also said the US breached the consensus reached between Trump and Xi on Jan 17, when they last spoke, without elaborating.
Tensions between the world's largest economies are ratcheting up again after the tariff thaw in May. The Trump administration last week said it planned to start revoking visas for Chinese students while moving to restrict the sale of chip design software to China. They have also barred the export of critical US jet engine parts and technology to China, The New York Times reported.
Trump did not elaborate when he accused Beijing of violating the tariff truce on Friday, but US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer complained that China had not sped exports of critical minerals needed for cutting-edge electronics.
In the statement, the Commerce Ministry said it 'resolutely rejects these unjustified accusations' and that the country has strictly implemented the consensus.
Trump's comments came a day after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said talks with China on trade had stalled and suggested that a call between Trump and Xi might be necessary to break the deadlock. BLOOMBERG
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