TMTPost -- China’s economic czar He Lifeng expresses serious concerns to his U.S. counterpart as the volley of tariffs between the world’s two largest economies under the Trump administration just kicked off.

Credit：Xinhua News Agency

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng held a video call on Friday with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on bilateral important economic issues, the state news agency Xinhua reported. During the call, He, the lead person for China-US economic and trade affairs, expressed serious concerns over recent U.S. additional tariffs and other restrictive measures against China.

The two sides exchanged in-depth views on the implementation of consensus reached by the two heads of state during their phone talks, and on important issues between China and the United States in the economic field, according to the report. It said both sides recognized the significance of bilateral economic and trade relations, and agreed to maintain communication on issues of respective concern.

In an introductory call with Vice Premier He, Secretary of the Treasury Bessent “expressed serious concerns” about China’s “counternarcotics efforts, economic imbalances, and unfair policies, and stressed the Trump Administration’s commitment to pursue trade and economic policies that protect the American economy, the American worker, and our national security”, according to a readout of the U.S. Treasury Department on Friday. Both sides exchanged views on the bilateral economic relationship and agreed to remain in communication going forward, per the readout.

The call on Friday is their first between He and Bessent that has been publicly announced since the latter took office in late January. It  is also China and U.S. economic leaders’ first call that made public since U.S. President Donald Trump ordered to impose his first tariffs on Chinese goods when he returned the White House.

The call has sent a positive signal that China and U.S. have the willingness to continue to maintain communication and dialogue in the economic and trade areas at the government level, despite some differences and disputes, He Weiwen, a senior fellow from the Center for China and Globalization, told state-backed newspaper the Global Times.

Trump on February 1 signed an order to impose a 25% additional tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico and a 10% additional tariff on imports from China. In addition, the administration will imposed a 10% tariff on energy products from Canada. All new tariffs but those on energy products were planned to take into effect on February 4.