China, US commerce and trade chiefs will meet next week: Chinese embassy

The ministers of commerce and the trade representatives of US and China will meet next week in the US, the spokesperson for China’s embassy in Washington said on Thursday.

Liu Pengyu made the announcement at a Chinese embassy online briefing with journalists. He said China was open to communication at all levels with US, but only on the basis of mutual respect.

A source familiar with planning for the meetings said that Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao will meet with Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo in Washington next week before traveling to Detroit for a meeting Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) trade ministers. He will meet with US Trade Representative Katherine Tai on the sidelines of that meeting, scheduled for May 25-26.

Spokespersons for Tai’s and Raimondo’s offices did not immediately respond to request for comment.

In comments on PBS’ “Amanpour and Company” program, Tai said last week that if a meeting could take place, it would “provide us with an opportunity to reconnect with one of my interlocutors in Beijing, to check in since the administration transition in Beijing.”