Tai Brings Up Actions Against US Companies With China's Commerce Minister

U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai brought up China's nonmarket approach to trade, and how it causes "critical imbalances," according to a readout of her May 26 meeting with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao.

The readout said Tai also discussed government actions against U.S. companies doing business in China. The readout did not specify what she meant, but the U.S. Chamber of Commerce raised alarms last month over China's questioning of consultants from Bain & Co., and its raid of Mintz Group and other firms that offer due diligence services to investors.

The Chamber wrote: "In the context of China’s new Counter Espionage Law, which casts a wide net over the range of documents, data or materials considered relevant to national security, the additional scrutiny of firms providing essential business services dramatically increases the uncertainties and risks of doing business in the People's Republic."