Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao met with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Yaoundé, Cameroon, on 26 March. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 14th Ministerial Meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

During the meeting, Wang Wentao stressed that the two countries should implement the agreements reached by their top leaders and seek a balance between competition and cooperation. He said it is important to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation, avoid unfair competition and maintain open communication to promote the stable and long-term development of trade relations.

He also said that China is ready to deepen cooperation with the United States not only bilaterally but also at the multilateral and regional level. He stressed the importance of WTO reform and expressed support for achieving concrete results at the current ministerial meeting as well as in other international fora such as APEC and G20.

Wang Wentao also highlighted China's concerns about recent actions by the US side, in particular the Section 301 investigations, which are based on arguments regarding overcapacity or the alleged use of forced labour. He said such actions could negatively affect bilateral trade relations.

Jamieson Greer said at the meeting that the United States is ready to strengthen dialogue with China in accordance with the agreements between the two heads of state. He stressed interest in stable economic relations and willingness to seek win-win solutions. He also affirmed that the U.S. wants to actively engage with China in the WTO as well as in other regional platforms.

CMG