U.S. commerce secretary to press China to buy as allies seethe over tariffs

BEIJING (Reuters) – U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross arrived in Beijing on Saturday aiming to secure more Chinese purchases of U.S. goods and energy, days after Washington intensified pressure in its dispute with China and infuriated allies with tariffs on metals.

Ross did not speak to reporters at his Beijing hotel on Saturday afternoon. He was scheduled to have dinner on Saturday with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, Beijing’s lead negotiator in the trade dispute, at the Diaoyutai State Guest House, a U.S. official said. The two were also due to meet on Sunday.

The visit by Ross follows renewed tariff threats this week against China by the Trump administration, and as U.S. allies are in a foul mood with Washington after they were hit with duties on steel and aluminum.

The United States and China have threatened tit-for-tat tariffs on goods worth up to $150 billion each.

After it had appeared a trade truce between the two economic heavyweights was on the cards, the White House this week warned it would continue to pursue tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese imports, as well as impose restrictions on Chinese investments in the United States and tighter export controls.

Ross, who was preceded in Beijing this week by more than 50 U.S. officials, was expected during the two-day visit to try to secure long-term purchases of U.S. farm and energy commodities to help shrink a $375 billion trade deficit with China. U.S. President Donald Trump has demanded that China take steps to reduce the gap by $200 billion annually by 2020.

The U.S. team also wants to secure greater intellectual property protection and an end to Chinese subsidies that have contributed to overproduction of steel and aluminum.

While many countries share U.S. frustration with Chinese trade and economic practices, critics of U.S. policy under Trump have warned that Washington risks alienating the European Union, Canada and Mexico with 25 percent tariffs on steel and 10 percent on aluminum.

On Friday, the United States’ closest allies attacked the Trump administration over the tariffs, with Japan calling the U.S. action “deeply deplorable” during a meeting of G7 finance leaders in Canada.