China US Photo:VCG

 

Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao held a phone call with US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo on Tuesday, during which the Chinese side expressed serious concerns over the US semiconductor policy toward China and restrictions on Chinese connected vehicles, and he urged the US to lift sanctions as soon as possible.

In a statement on Tuesday night, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said that the two trade chiefs focused on the implementation of the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries during the meeting in San Francisco and had candid, in-depth and pragmatic communication on economic and trade issues of mutual concern.

The phone call is an institutional arrangement for communication between the commerce departments of the two countries, according to the MOFCOM statement. 

During the phone call, Wang said that the two heads of state held a historic meeting in San Francisco in November 2023, charting the course for the development of China-US economic and trade relations, and the commerce departments of the two countries have maintained close communication and made positive progress in expanding cooperation, managing differences and resolving specific concerns of businesses.

Importantly, Wang expressed serious concerns about the US semiconductor policy toward China and restrictions on connected cars from China. The Chinese side urged the US to pay attention to the specific concerns of Chinese companies, lift sanctions on Chinese companies as soon as possible, and improve the business environment for Chinese firms in the US, the MOFCOM said. 

The talks came after the US continuously intensified its crackdown against Chinese companies and products. Among the latest crackdown moves is a reported plan by the US to ban Chinese-made software and hardware in connected and autonomous vehicles in the US. The US has also announced hefty additional tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. 

Amid Washington's increasing crackdown, communication between the trade officials of the two countries is necessary to discuss issues of mutual concern and is also conducive to stabilizing bilateral trade ties, a Chinese expert said. 

Zhou Mi, a senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said that maintaining stable China-US economic and trade cooperation is crucial for both countries. "Therefore, I think such a communication mechanism is very necessary. In addition to consultations on some old issues, further discussions on addressing emerging issues are also needed," Zhou told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Specifically, such a communication channel also offers a necessary platform for China to express its serious concerns, so both countries can better understand each other's development intentions and find areas where the two countries can cooperate, Zhou said.