Wed Mar 26 15:57:06 UTC 2025: ## US and China Clash Over Tariffs Ahead of Imminent US Levies
**Washington D.C./Beijing –** Tensions flared between the US and China during a video conference Wednesday as the two nations traded accusations of unfair trade practices. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer voiced strong concerns over Beijing’s allegedly anti-competitive economic policies, just one week before the US is set to unveil reciprocal tariffs.
President Trump has dubbed April 2nd “Liberation Day,” promising retaliatory tariffs to counter what the US considers unjust Chinese practices. However, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, a key figure in China’s economic policy, expressed serious reservations about the upcoming US tariffs. He also criticized the recent US tariff increases targeting Chinese imports, imposed in response to China’s alleged role in the fentanyl supply chain. China maintains that the fentanyl issue is a domestic US problem.
While both sides described the discussion as “candid,” the USTR’s office highlighted Greer’s emphasis on a “robust and reinvigorated” US trade policy aimed at bolstering American industrial and technological advantages and safeguarding national security. Xinhua, China’s state news agency, reported that both sides acknowledged the importance of a stable economic and trade relationship, agreeing to maintain communication.
Greer’s meeting with He follows a previous discussion between He and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent last month. Greer, who played a role in the Trump administration’s previous trade battles with China, is currently tasked with reviewing existing trade deals and assessing the impact of unfair trade practices. The upcoming reciprocal tariffs are expected to face potential legal challenges.
First Piper 