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China has removed its senior trade negotiator, Li Chenggang, from his role as the country’s permanent representative to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), state media reported on Monday.
The move came just days after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described him as “unhinged.”
During a visit to Washington in August, Li allegedly warned that China would “unleash chaos on the global system” if the United States proceeded with docking fees for Chinese vessels, Bessent said in an interview with CNBC on Wednesday, adding that Li’s behaviour was “slightly unhinged.”
On Monday, China’s Xinhua news agency released a list of diplomatic appointments and changes, which included Li’s removal from the WTO posting.
When questioned about whether the decision was linked to Bessent’s remarks, China’s foreign ministry told AFP that it was merely a “routine personnel change.”
Despite his removal from the WTO role, Li continues to serve as China’s international trade representative and vice minister of commerce.
He previously led a Chinese delegation to Washington for trade talks in August, where he called for “equal dialogue and consultation” between the two nations, according to the commerce ministry.
Meanwhile, China and the United States have agreed to hold another round of trade negotiations in the coming week, as both sides seek to prevent further escalation in their tariff dispute.
Earlier this month, Beijing imposed sweeping controls on the critical rare earths industry, prompting US President Donald Trump to threaten 100 per cent tariffs on Chinese imports in retaliation.
The two countries also introduced tit-for-tat port fees last week, after China imposed “special port fees” on US ships in response to similar charges introduced by Washington in April.
