BEIJING — China’s vp held conferences with the U.S. vice president-elect and U.S. enterprise leaders, together with Elon Musk, in Washington on the eve of Donald Trump’s inauguration, as the 2 main powers deal with ongoing tensions over commerce and know-how.
Han Zheng, who serves as an envoy for Chinese language President Xi Jinping on the inauguration, “mentioned a variety of matters together with fentanyl, balancing commerce and regional stability” with J.D. Vance, in line with the Trump transition crew.
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Han burdened the “intensive widespread pursuits and large area of cooperation” the USA and China share in financial and commerce relations regardless of “some disagreements and frictions,” in line with a readout of his assembly with Vance issued by the Chinese language International Ministry on Monday.
Trump has threatened to impose tariffs and different measures against China in his second time period, whereas additionally hinting and methods wherein the 2 rival powers may cooperate on points reminiscent of regional conflicts and curbing the export of drugs used within the manufacturing of fentanyl.
In an unorthodox transfer, Trump final month invited Xi to his inauguration. No head of state has beforehand made an official go to to the U.S. for the inauguration, in line with State Division historical records.
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Whereas Xi is not going to personally attend the occasion, he and Trump held a telephone name on Friday throughout which they mentioned commerce, fentanyl and TikTok. The Chinese language social media app restored service to customers within the U.S. on Sunday, simply hours after it went darkish in response to a federal ban, which Trump mentioned he would pause by govt order on Monday.
Han additionally met with Musk and different high U.S. enterprise executives, together with representatives of the U.S.-China Enterprise Council and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C., in line with the Chinese language International Ministry.
The Chinese language vp reiterated guarantees for an improved enterprise atmosphere for overseas companies in China and expressed hopes that U.S. corporations will proceed increasing funding within the nation.
Musk, whose firm Tesla operates a manufacturing facility in Shanghai, posted on his platform X after the assembly that he has lengthy opposed the TikTok ban “as a result of it goes towards freedom of speech.”
“That mentioned, the present scenario the place TikTok is allowed to function in America, however X will not be allowed to function in China is unbalanced,” he wrote. “One thing wants to vary.”
X is banned in China alongside different main U.S. social media and information apps and web sites, together with YouTube, Google, Fb and plenty of main U.S. media.
