China slams US as ‘bullying hegemonist’ over Biden’s trade policies

China’s ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO) called the U.S. a “destroyer to the multilateral trading system” during a closed-door meeting with trade officials on Wednesday.

Li Chenggang accused the Biden administration of failing to uphold a pledge to lead by example, saying the U.S. has not abided by WTO laws and is putting “America First” before international rules.

“Clearly, the United States is a ‘unilateralist and bullying hegemonist,’” he said in prepared remarks obtained by Bloomberg.

Li added that the Biden administration “has put its own interests above the global common interests, bullying other members to obey by leveraging its economic and technological power.”

The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment.

According to Bloomberg, U.S. Ambassador María Pagán responded in the meeting that the tougher approach from Washington is in response to a more challenging trade environment and added that the administration would “not apologize for this.”

“We now find ourselves in far different circumstances that require careful examination of some long-held assumptions,” she said, according to Bloomberg.

WTO officials and ambassadors are gathering this week in Geneva, Switzerland, to discuss a review of America’s trade policies, an occurrence that happens every few years. All WTO member nations are subject to reviews.

The spat at the WTO meeting comes amid heightened global tensions between China and the U.S, including on economic policy and trade. Both nations have accused each other of unfair trade practices.

China this week filed a complaint with the WTO against the U.S. after the Biden administration launched new export controls, including a rule to limit China from getting semiconductor chips made anywhere in the world by American equipment, according to Reuters.