Beijing Calls for Global Cooperation, Says World Must Reject ‘Law of the Jungle’

Kuala Lumpur: On Monday, Chinese Premier Li Qiang criticized "unilateralism," saying the world should not return to the "law of the jungle" in trade matters. This statement has come at a time when important talks are going to take place between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Where was this statement given?

Li Qiang made this comment during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit held in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. "Economic globalization and multipolarity are irreversible. The world must not return to an era when the strong oppressed the weak," he said.
This statement was indirectly a comment on the policies of the Trump administration, in which the US had imposed high import duties on many countries, including China.

When will Trump and Xi Jinping meet?

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet in South Korea on Thursday. The purpose of the talks between the two leaders is to end the long-running trade dispute. Before leaving for Japan, Trump said that he hoped that an agreement would be reached during his meeting with Xi Jinping.

Has the US withdrawn its threat of 100% tariffs?

US Treasury Secretary Scott Besant told CBS News that the threat to impose 100% import tariffs on goods coming from China is now "over."

He said that this decision was taken after two days of positive talks between the Trump administration and China. The tax was initially supposed to be imposed in response to Beijing increasing controls on exports of rare earth materials, which are vital to the electronics and defense industries.

Has there been any agreement between China and America?

According to the report of Chinese government agency Xinhua, the two countries have achieved a “basic consensus.” The agreement came after two days of talks on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The talks were attended by Vice Prime Minister He Lifeng from the Chinese side, while the US delegation was led by Finance Minister Scott Besant and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

Analysts say that this statement of Li Chiang is not only a sarcasm on America's trade policies but is also part of China's strategy under which it wants to present itself as a responsible power and supporter of global free trade. China constantly wants to convey the message that it believes in the policy of cooperation and not confrontation. At the same time, many countries are seeing the “America First” policy of the Trump administration as a challenge to the global economic balance.