China's Ambassador to the U.S. Urges New Approach in Trade Relations

China's ambassador to the U.S., Xie Feng, has attributed the drop in trade between the two countries to U.S. tariffs and export controls. China-U.S. trade fell by 14.5% in the first half of the year, and in July, it declined by 15.4% compared to the same period in 2022. Xie warned against decoupling between China and the U.S., emphasizing the importance of opportunities, cooperation, stability, and development. He called for expanding mutually beneficial economic cooperation and trade, suggesting concrete steps such as facilitating travel and renewing agreements on science and technology. Xie also criticized the U.S. for imposing restrictions on Chinese companies and described it as a violation of the principle of free trade.