China slams 'baseless' US claims on trade rep's bilateral visit

China's Ministry of Commerce has rejected US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's claims regarding China International Trade Representative Li Chenggang's engagements in the United States as "baseless", stating that they seriously distorted the facts.

Foreign media reported that Bessent had accused Li of making an "uninvited visit" to Washington and linking the threat of "China unleashing chaos on global trade".

Speaking at a weekly news briefing in Beijing on Thursday, He Yongqian, a spokeswoman for the ministry, clarified that from Aug 27 to 29, Li Chenggang, who is also China's vice-commerce minister, visited the US as part of bilateral engagements to implement the consensus reached in the phone call between the Chinese and US heads of state.

During Li's visit, the two sides exchanged views on issues pertaining to bilateral relations and the implementation of the outcomes of the China-US economic and trade consultations, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

The Chinese vice-commerce minister also expressed China's concerns regarding US measures, including the Section 301 investigation and restrictions targeting China's shipbuilding and other industries.

The ministry spokesperson said the Chinese side has proactively engaged in consultations and communications with the US side on these issues and proposed cooperation suggestions in a constructive manner.

However, the spokesperson noted, "the US side has taken a negative stance, insisting on implementing restrictive measures, which has compelled China to take necessary countermeasures, including imposing port fees on US vessels in accordance with relevant regulations."

The spokesperson pointed out that the US Section 301 investigations and restrictive measures represent typical unilateralism and protectionism.

These actions not only severely harm the interests of relevant Chinese industries but also exacerbate inflation in the US, as well as undermine the competitiveness of the US port business and employment, the spokesperson added.

The Ministry of Commerce emphasized that the US measures have disrupted the stability of global supply chains and created chaos in the international shipping industry. In contrast, the countermeasures taken by China are passive and defensive in nature, aimed at safeguarding a fair competitive environment in global shipping and shipbuilding markets.

China urges the US to recognize its erroneous actions and work with China toward mutual understanding, and return to the right path of dialogue and consultation, said the spokesperson.