China US Photo:VCG

Chinese and US commerce and trade officials will hold a meeting in North China's Tianjin Municipality next month to exchange views on a wide range of issues, including economic and trade policies, China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) announced on Thursday, adding to growing interactions between officials of the two countries.

At the meeting, Chinese officials will express concerns over issues, including the intensifying US crackdown against Chinese businesses and products, including Washington's plan to impose additional tariffs on Chinese products, according to Chinese experts.  

At a press conference on Thursday, He Yadong, a spokesperson for the MOFCOM, announced that China and the US have agreed to hold a vice-ministerial meeting of the China-US commercial and trade working group in Tianjin on September 7.

The meeting will be co-chaired by China International Trade Representative and Vice Minister of Commerce Wang Shouwen and the US Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Marisa Lago. The two sides will exchange views on a wide range of issues, including their respective concerns about economic and trade policies, appeals from businesses and practical cooperation, the MOFCOM spokesperson said.

This will be the second vice-ministerial meeting of the commercial and trade working group. The first was held in Washington in April, where the Chinese side expressed concerns over issues, including the US Section 301 tariffs on Chinese goods, an overstretched concept of national security, sanctions on Chinese businesses and unfair treatment toward Chinese companies, the MOFCOM said at the time. 

The announcement of the meeting on Thursday came as Chinese and US officials have increased interactions recently. On Tuesday and Wednesday, Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs and a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, held a new round of candid, substantive and constructive China-US strategic communication with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in Beijing.

In mid-August, Chinese and US officials held the fifth meeting of the bilateral Financial Working Group in Shanghai, where the two sides had "professional, pragmatic, candid and constructive" talks to ensure financial stability.

He Weiwen, a senior fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, said that increasing bilateral dialogue is necessary to address certain issues of concern to both sides and help stabilize bilateral ties, especially in the economic and trade fields. 

"Maintaining this type of dialogue mechanism is correct and necessary," He Weiwen told the Global Times on Thursday. "The two sides must rely on dialogue to maintain normal economic and trade ties and reduce artificial disruptions."

The Chinese side will express concerns over restrictions imposed by the US on many Chinese products, including hefty additional tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs). "These restrictions have caused serious disruptions to normal trade and investment relations between China and the US," He Weiwen said.

In one of the latest crackdowns against Chinese products, the US government is expected to announce implementation plans for tariff hikes on Chinese products, including EVs, this week, Reuters reported. However, the move is facing growing criticism from US domestic industries amid concerns over increasing costs.

Such moves by the US not only undermine bilateral economic and trade cooperation, but will also have a profound negative impact on global cooperation to address climate change, said Zhou Mi, a senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.

Given the importance of China-US ties, "it is necessary for the two sides to have sufficient, effective and timely communication to avoid miscalculations," Zhou told the Global Times on Thursday, noting that the two sides should focus on finding solutions to address disputes through such talks.