On March 13, China sharply criticized a new U.S. trade investigation targeting alleged industrial overcapacity and forced labor, warning it could take countermeasures just days before senior officials from both countries are due to meet in Paris for another round of economic talks.
The dispute adds fresh strain to an already fragile thaw in U.S.-China relations, as Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng is expected to meet U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Paris on March 15-16. The talks are widely seen as groundwork for a planned visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to Beijing starting March 31, although Beijing has not publicly confirmed that trip.
Beijing’s criticism came after the United States launched Section 301 investigations into alleged industrial overcapacity and failures by foreign governments to prevent goods made with forced labor from entering supply chains. In a March 11 notice, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said it would examine whether such practices are “unreasonable or discriminatory” and burden U.S. commerce, with China among the economies named in both probes.
China’s Commerce Ministry, said Washington had no right to make unilateral judgments about whether another country has “overcapacity,” and warned the U.S. action could seriously undermine the international economic and trade order. Beijing said it was assessing the measures and reserved the right to defend its interests.
China’s Foreign Ministry rejected the forced-labor allegations. At a regular press briefing, spokesperson Guo Jiakun said China opposes all forms of unilateral tariff measures and argued that tariff and trade wars serve neither side’s interests. He also called the forced-labor accusation “a lie concocted by the U.S.” and accused Washington of politicizing the issue.
Despite the rhetorical escalation, both sides are moving ahead with face-to-face talks in France, with China’s Commerce Ministry confirming He Lifeng’s visit from March 14 to 17. According to the South China Morning Post, the Paris talks are expected to cover key trade issues and could produce outcomes that pave the way for the next Trump-Xi meeting, underscoring that both governments continue to prepare for dialogue despite broader geopolitical tensions.
Whether the new Section 301 probes will harden positions in Paris or become another bargaining chip remains unclear. For now, they underscore that dialogue and confrontation continue in parallel in U.S.-China relations.
Author: Mariam Simsive
