Beijing has formally protested two new rounds of U.S. trade investigations targeting China, urging Washington to halt what it describes as unilateral and discriminatory actions that undermine bilateral relations.
The Chinese commerce ministry said it has “lodged representations” over probes launched last week into 60 economies, including China, over alleged “failures to take action on forced labor.” A separate set of investigations, announced a day earlier, examines 16 trading partners, including China, concerning excess industrial capacity. Beijing criticizes the latter as “political manipulation” designed to construct trade barriers. A ministry statement called the newer forced labor probes “extremely unilateral, arbitrary and discriminatory,” demanding the U.S. “immediately correct its erroneous ways” and resolve disputes through dialogue.
These developments coincide with two days of trade official talks in Paris, described by Washington as a routine discussion. The investigations could potentially lead to new tariffs, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s February ruling that struck down former President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff authorities. Any new measures would require separate legal justifications, a process likely to take months.
The forced labor probes specifically target supply chains, reviving tensions over allegations affecting minority groups in China’s Xinjiang region. Human rights groups and UN experts have raised concerns, which Beijing consistently dismisses as “fabricated.” The industrial capacity investigations focus on sectors like steel, semiconductors, and electric vehicles, where U.S. industries claim foreign overproduction harms American commerce.
Separately, Washington has announced a planned visit by Trump to China from March 31 to April 2, though Beijing has not confirmed the dates. Trump suggested the summit could be postponed due to the Middle East conflict, highlighting the fragile diplomatic environment.
The parallel investigations and diplomatic talks underscore the ongoing complexity of U.S.-China trade relations. While negotiators meet, the threat of sector-specific tariffs looms, signaling that commercial friction remains a central and contentious element of the broader bilateral relationship. The outcome of the Paris talks and the trajectory of the formal probes will be closely monitored for signs of de-escalation or further escalation.
