China looks beyond the US with new chief trade negotiator

Beijing's goal is a multilateral standing that will give it rulemaking power

Hao Nan

April 22, 2025 17:05 JST

Li Chenggang in Geneva, Switzerland, on July 15, 2021. With Li now at the helm of China's trade negotiation apparatus, expect less drama and more deals. © Reuters

Hao Nan is a research fellow with the Charhar Institute and a fellow (2024-2025) with the Arms Control Negotiation Academy.

On April 16, China appointed Li Chenggang as Chief trade negotiator, replacing Wang Shouwen, a pivotal figure in China's trade diplomacy since 2018 and the first phase of the U.S.-China trade war. Li, promoted from China's permanent representative to the WTO, brings with him an extensive legal and international trade background.