In the run-up to the highly anticipated meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Chinese Premier Li Qiang delivered a pointed rebuke of Washington’s trade posture.
Speaking at a major gathering of Southeast Asian leaders in Kuala Lumpur, Li cautioned that the world must not revert to “the law of the jungle,” warning that it would be a grave mistake for the powerful to prey on the weak in global commerce.
He framed his remarks as a sharp critique of unilateral trade policies and sweeping tariff actions, implicitly referencing the Trump administration’s broad “reciprocal tariffs” that have roiled global supply chains — including those of China.
Addressing the plenary of the 20th East Asia Summit (EAS) and the 28th ASEAN Plus Three meeting, Li recalled that “economic globalization and multipolarity are irreversible,” and stressed that member states must stand firm in upholding the international rule of law, multilateralism, and the rights of smaller nations.
“The world must not slip back to the law of the jungle where the strong bully the weak,” he declared.
Li’s remarks came amid significant diplomatic movement between Washington and Beijing. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent—in interviews just ahead of the Trump-Xi meeting—said the threat of imposing a sweeping 100 % additional tariff on Chinese goods “is effectively off the table.”
He described recent talks with Chinese officials as “very good,” and said they had achieved a “framework” for the two leaders to build on.
According to Bessent, key elements of the emerging understanding include:
- China agrees to refrain from imposing export controls on critical rare earth minerals and magnets.
- The United States is stepping back from the threat of 100 % tariffs in the near term, acknowledging that the leverage provided by the initial threat has already borne fruit.
- Discussions covering U.S. concerns over China’s purchases of American agricultural products, cooperation on precursor chemicals tied to the U.S. fentanyl crisis, and the status of the emerging deal over the social-media platform TikTok.
Further intensifying the diplomatic backdrop, China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) formalized an upgraded version of their free-trade agreement (“FTA 3.0”) at the Kuala Lumpur summit, signaling Beijing’s intention to deepen regional integration even as it confronts U.S. tariffs.
The deal is intended to reduce trade barriers, strengthen supply-chain connectivity, and extend market access to agriculture, digital sectors, and pharmaceuticals.
Li used this backdrop to argue that protectionism and unilateralism – “rampant” in many quarters – pose significant risks to developing economies in the region, which remain vulnerable to outside shocks.
He emphasized that China remains committed to ASEAN’s centrality in the regional architecture, the U.N.-centered multilateral system, and the reform of global governance to ensure fairness for all.
From Washington’s perspective, the language of de-escalation is clear: by stepping away from the 100 % tariff threat, the U.S. aims to shift the focus to negotiation and resolution rather than open confrontation.
The timing is especially critical: the Trump-Xi summit, scheduled for later this week in South Korea, is being billed as a major test of whether the two super-powers can find accommodation on trade, supply-chain issues, and strategic competition.
What remains uncertain is how far each side is willing to go in binding commitments — and how domestic politics will shape the outcome.
In Beijing, Li’s remarks signal that China will vigorously resist returning to a world where might makes right. In Washington, officials appear willing to move on from threats and seek concrete outcomes—though the details have yet to be made public.
As the summit approaches, all eyes will be on whether the framework outlined by negotiators translates into a signed deal, or merely a temporary truce in an enduring rivalry.
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