US Trade Representative Catherine Tai criticized China for using trade as a weapon against partner countries. It has been reported Bloomberg.
Beijing “opens the tap when things are going well, shuts the tap when things go bad”, he said, adding that China has started the arms trade.
The US Trade Representative’s comment came after official meetings with President Yun Suk-yeol and trade representatives in South Korea. The Joe Biden administration is increasing “friendly support” with countries, including South Korea, to deepen trade ties and curb China’s influence.
“U.S. pressure is not entirely welcome in Asian economies, whose growth is largely dependent on China,” says Bloomberg. Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Thursday urged the US and China to stabilize their relations and warned that bifurcation of the global economy would have “huge economic costs for countries”.
Former U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai statedWashington is particularly vulnerable as it relies on imports from Beijing for critical technologies.