Chinese Premier Li Qiang took a swipe at Washington, warning nations not to revert to “the law of the jungle” in case of trade. He made the remark on Monday, days before US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to meet for critical trade talks.
Speaking at an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Kuala Lumpur, Li criticised what he called “unilateralism,” in comments widely viewed as directed at Trump’s tariff policies, AFP reported.
Li’s remarks came as tensions loom over Trump’s “reciprocal tariffs,” which have impacted nearly all major US trading partners, including China. These measures have rattled global markets and disrupted supply chains, deepening uncertainty across the international economy.
US-China Reach ‘Basic Consensus’ On Trade Deal
Li’s statement also comes following an announcement from both US and Chinese officials that they had reached an “basic consensus” on a potential trade agreement. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters that the threat of an additional 100% tariff on Chinese goods was now “effectively off the table.” He added, “I think we have a very successful framework for the leaders to discuss on Thursday.”
Trump had previously warned that if a deal was not reached by November 1, he would double down on tariffs against Chinese imports. However, optimism seems to be building ahead of Thursday’s planned meeting in South Korea.
“Economic globalisation and multipolarity are irreversible. The world should not return to the law of the jungle where the strong bully the weak,” Li said, according to AFP. He urged nations to defend and strengthen the international “free trade system,” underscoring China’s positioning as a champion of global economic cooperation.
President Trump and Xi Jinping are expected to meet in South Korea later this week, where they may finalize a trade pact that could mark a pause in their prolonged trade standoff. While en route to Japan, Trump expressed confidence about the upcoming meeting. “We meet, as you know, in South Korea with President Xi. I think we’re going to have a good deal with China,” he said.
If the discussions succeed, the agreement could signal a significant breakthrough in U.S.-China trade relations—one that markets around the world will be watching closely.
