Chinese envoy expresses concern over US tariffs with Yellen

Staff members stand near American and Chinese flags at a booth for the U.S. Soybean Export Council at the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing, Friday, Sept. 3, 2021. China's envoy to trade war talks with Washington expressed concern about U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports during a phone call Tuesday, July 5, 2022, with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, the Ministry of Commerce announced, but it gave no indication of progress toward resolving an array of conflicts. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

BEIJING (AP) — China’s envoy to trade war talks with Washington expressed concern about U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports during a phone call Tuesday with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, the Ministry of Commerce announced, but it gave no indication of progress toward resolving an array of conflicts.

Vice Premier Liu He and Yellen also discussed the global economy and supply chain problems, a ministry statement said.

“The Chinese side expressed concern about issues such as the United States canceling tariffs and sanctions on China and fair treatment of Chinese enterprises,” the statement said.

There was no announcement from the Treasury Department. Offices in the U.S. were closed Monday for the Independence Day holiday.

President Joe Biden said June 18 he was “making up my mind” about whether to cancel some tariff hikes on Chinese imports by his predecessor, Donald Trump, in a dispute over Beijing’s technology ambitions and trade surplus.

Yellen has called for eliminating some of those tariffs to reduce U.S. inflation. Other U.S. officials including Trade Representative Katherine Tai have expressed concern about lifting tariffs when China has failed to fulfill some of its promises to buy more American goods.

Trade envoys from the two governments talk regularly by phone and video link but they have yet to announce a date to resume face-to-face meetings.