In a move to strengthen its position amid ongoing trade tensions with the United States, China announced on Wednesday the appointment of a new international trade representative.
Li Chenggang, a seasoned diplomat and trade expert, has taken over as China’s representative for international trade negotiations and vice minister of commerce, according to a statement published on the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security’s website.
The 58-year-old Li brings a wealth of experience to the role. He previously served as China’s ambassador to the World Trade Organization and as deputy permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva. An official biography highlights his legal training, with degrees from both Peking University and the University of Hamburg.
“He has decades of experience in various positions within the trade ministry,” the ministry noted, describing him as “well-versed in international economic policy.”
Li succeeds Wang Shouwen, who had played a key role in negotiating the 2020 U.S.-China trade agreement under the Trump administration.
The appointment comes as China continues to push back against the sweeping tariffs introduced by former U.S. President Donald Trump. These tariffs, which roiled global markets, triggered a prolonged trade standoff between the two economic powerhouses.
“Beijing and Washington have been engaged in a tense tit-for-tat escalation,” analysts say, with U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods reaching 145 percent and China’s retaliatory duties on American imports climbing to 125 percent.
Despite these pressures, China reported stronger-than-expected economic growth in the first quarter of the year. On Wednesday, officials announced a 5.4 percent year-on-year expansion. Still, they acknowledged that U.S. tariffs were placing “certain pressures” on the country’s economic performance.
