US won’t send a high-ranking official to major China investment fair

The Trump administration won’t send a top U.S. official to a major Chinese investment conference next month as the two countries continue to battle over trade issues.

The Associated Press reports that an official at the U.S. Embassy in China told the news service that the Trump administration has “no current plans” to participate in investments with the Chinese government or Chinese businesses until the tariff dispute between the two countries ends.

“The U.S. government has no current plans for high-level U.S. government participation” in the investment fair, the unnamed official told the AP.

{mosads}“We encourage China to level the playing field for U.S. goods and services,” the official added. “China needs to make the necessary reforms to end its unfair practices that are harming the world economy.”

China’s conference, the inaugural China International Import Expo, is scheduled to take place between Nov. 5-10 in Shanghai. Initial reports estimate that 2,800 companies from 130 nations will take part in the investment fair.

The U.S. has accused China’s government of forcing foreign companies to hand over crucial technological secrets in order to do business in the country, resulting in the two countries trading tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars worth of goods.

Trade talks with China dissolved late last month days after President Trump announced his latest round of tariffs, with Chinese officials accusing the U.S. president of “trade bullyism” against China to force the country to the negotiating table.

The Trump administration “has brazenly preached unilateralism, protectionism and economic hegemony, making false accusations against many countries and regions, particularly China, intimidating other countries through economic measures such as imposing tariffs,” the government accused in a statement.

“Nothing the U.S. has done has given any impression of sincerity and goodwill,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang added at a news briefing last month. “We hope that the U.S. side will take measures to correct its mistakes.”