China's Premier Calls For 'Dialogue Over Confrontation' During Meeting With Pro-Trump US Senator

Beijing: In a move to reconcile US-China relations, on Sunday during his meeting with pro-Trump Senator Steve Daines, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said that Beijing and Washington should consider "dialogue over confrontation", as both the countries are seeing rising friction over tariff war and efforts to combat illegal fentanyl trade.

Li was speaking during a meeting with US Senator, a strong supporter of President Donald Trump, who is the first member of Congress to visit Beijing since Trump took office in January.

The meeting also included leaders from several major American companies, such as FedEx CEO Raj Subramaniam, Boeing Senior VP Brendan Nelson, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon, and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla.

‘China Calls For ’Dialogue Over Confrontation' With US

Li said, “Our two sides need to choose dialogue over confrontation, win-win cooperation over zero-sum competition,” and Chinese President Xi Jinping noted the two countries could become partners and friends that contribute to each other's success during a call with Trump in January.

Relations between the US and China “have come to an important juncture," Li added, China hoped that the US would work together to promote the steady and sustainable development of the US-China relations.

According to reports, Li also said that there's no winner in a trade war. He said China welcomes foreign companies, including those from the US, to share development opportunities in the country.

Also Read: China Welcomes US Senator Steve Daines' Visit Amid Tariff War

Trump To Impose ‘Reciprocal’ Tariffs On China 

Since Senator Steve Daines arrived in Beijing on Thursday, he has met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng to relay Trump’s continued demand for China to halt the flow of fentanyl precursors. He also had a discussion with Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu.

Relations between the world’s two largest economies have soured just months into Trump's second term. Washington imposed 20% tariffs on Chinese imports, while Beijing retaliated with 15% duties on US farm goods.

In response, Trump plans to implement "reciprocal" tariffs, raising US duties to match the tax rates other countries impose on American imports, aiming for fairness. These tariffs are set to be announced on April 2.

(with AP inputs)