BEIJING: Senior Chinese trade negotiator Li Chenggang has been removed from his post as China’s permanent representative to the World Trade Organization.
State media reported the change on Monday, just days after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described Li as “unhinged”.
Bessent said in an interview that Li had threatened during August Washington talks that “China would unleash chaos on the global system if the US went ahead with our docking fees for Chinese ships”.
His behaviour was “slightly unhinged”, Bessent added.
China’s Xinhua news agency published a list of ambassadorial appointments including Li’s removal from the WTO posting.
When asked if the move was related to Bessent’s comments, Beijing’s foreign ministry said “this is a routine personnel change”.
Li remains China’s international trade representative and vice minister of commerce.
He led a Chinese delegation to Washington for trade talks in August where he urged “equal dialogue and consultation” between the two nations.
China and the United States agreed over the weekend to conduct another round of trade negotiations in the coming week.
Beijing announced this month sweeping controls on the critical rare earths industry, prompting US President Donald Trump to threaten 100% tariffs on imports from China.
Tit-for-tat port fees also took effect last week after Beijing announced “special port fees” on US ships following a similar move by the United States announced in April. – AFP
