China announces team to tackle trade negotiations in Beijing

Tariffs

A forklift moves steel pipes at the Borusan Mannesmann plant in Baytown, Texas, Monday, April 23, 2018. President Donald Trump’s escalating dispute with China over trade and technology is threatening jobs and profits in working-class communities where his “America First” agenda hit home. Borusan said the Baytown production line would no longer be competitive and “jobs would be threatened” if it cannot import 135,000 metric tons of steel annually over the next two years. The pipes Borusan produces are used primarily as casing for oil and natural gas wells. (AP Photo/Loren Elliott)

China has announced its team of who will face off in the United States-China trade negotiations this week. It’s a mixture of political power brokers and bankers.

They’ll be confronting the so called “China Hawks” led by U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

CGTN’s Nathan King has been covering this since the talks were announced.

The newly elevated Wang, is expected to take the lead in trying to broker a detente in trade relations.

Wang, the former anti-corruption Wang has a deep knowledge of the United States having dealt extensively with Washington during his stint as vice premier in charge of economic affairs from 2008 to 2013 and is even reported to be a fan of House of Cards.

Liu Xi’s top economic adviser and recently visited the US to discuss economic issues. The Harvard educated World Economic Forum in January, he promised to carry out China’s economic reforms “beyond the expectations of the international community”.

Zhong has decades of experience as a Chinese trade representative. In March, he unveiled the country’s economic blueprint for the next five years, including its plans to heavily promote innovation to ensure China becomes a “strong trading nation” by 2050. China would not be forced to open up its economy by other countries.

Zhu hit back at the US threat to impose tariffs by arguing that China would respond with equal actions, but that he hoped relations would get back to a healthy track.

He, the chairman of the “super ministry” that maps out the country’s overall economic direction made in China 2025.

Yi, the newly appointed head of China’s central bank, studied and taught economics at American universities. His role at the People’s Bank of China is to continue the country’s ongoing financial reforms.

“Taking into consideration the huge volume and complexity of the two countries’ economies, it might not be that realistic to settle all the problems through only one dialogue. But we believe as long as the US comes to talk with sincerity to maintain a stable trade relationship, and with the attitude of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefits, the talks will be constructive”, said Hua Chunying the Chinese foreign ministry.