Thursday, 29 January, 2026
London, UK
Thursday, January 29, 2026 4:42 PM
broken clouds 6.1°C
Condition: Broken clouds
Humidity: 82%
Wind Speed: 18.5 km/h

US ambassador warns of China’s growing manufacturing dominance

BEIJING (AP) — The top U.S. envoy to China called Thursday for fair and reciprocal trade between the world’s two largest economies and expressed concern about projections that China’s dominance of global manufacturing will grow even further in the years to come.

U.S. Ambassador David Perdue told business and government leaders in Beijing that China should be congratulated on becoming a manufacturing powerhouse, but echoed fears in Europe and elsewhere that China’s exports pose a threat to factories and jobs in other countries.

“This is not healthy for the rest of the world,” he said in remarks to an annual dinner of the American Chamber of Commerce in China.

Perdue was appointed by U.S. President Donald Trump, who has imposed tariffs on imports from China and many other countries in a bid to reindustrialize and boost factory jobs in the United States.

China responded with tariffs on imports from the U.S. An ensuing tit-for-tat spiral drove tariffs sky-high before the two sides agreed to a series of 90-day truces. In late October, both countries agreed to a one-year pause when Trump met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea during a gathering of Asia-Pacific nations.

1 MIN READ

1 MIN READ

2 MIN READ

“They’ve been able to create the space we’ll need to work through a lot of tough, complicated issues,” Perdue said.

China had reaped the benefits of free trade with the rest of the world, while American companies have faced a series of barriers to the Chinese market over the years, the U.S. envoy said.

“America’s not looking for a trade war, but we are looking to get fair, free, reciprocal trade,” he said.

Perdue said that work is underway for a visit by Trump to China in 2026, and that Xi is expected to visit the U.S. this year too. Trump has said he will come to China in April, but neither government has confirmed a date.

LP Staff Writers

Writers at Lord’s Press come from a range of professional backgrounds, including history, diplomacy, heraldry, and public administration. Many publish anonymously or under initials—a practice that reflects the publication’s long-standing emphasis on discretion and editorial objectivity. While they bring expertise in European nobility, protocol, and archival research, their role is not to opine, but to document. Their focus remains on accuracy, historical integrity, and the preservation of events and individuals whose significance might otherwise go unrecorded.

Categories

Follow

    Newsletter

    Subscribe to receive your complimentary login credentials and unlock full access to all features and stories from Lord’s Press.

    As a journal of record, Lord’s Press remains freely accessible—thanks to the enduring support of our distinguished partners and patrons. Subscribing ensures uninterrupted access to our archives, special reports, and exclusive notices.

    LP is free thanks to our Sponsors

    Privacy Overview

    Privacy & Cookie Notice

    This website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience and to help us understand how our content is accessed and used. Cookies are small text files stored in your browser that allow us to recognise your device upon return, retain your preferences, and gather anonymised usage statistics to improve site performance.

    Under EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we process this data based on your consent. You will be prompted to accept or customise your cookie preferences when you first visit our site.

    You may adjust or withdraw your consent at any time via the cookie settings link in the website footer. For more information on how we handle your data, please refer to our full Privacy Policy