US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent publicly rebuked Chinese trade negotiator Li Chenggang for showing up in Washington without invitation, describing his behaviour as “unhinged” and likening him to a “wolf warrior.”
Bessent’s remarks highlight the growing frustration of the US amid escalating trade tensions with China, as the two nations imposed mutual port fees and continue negotiations on a broader trade deal ahead of a November 10 deadline.
Li Chenggang, China’s vice-minister of commerce, visited Washington in August to hold discussions with US officials. According to Bessent, the visit was not requested by the Trump administration and involved threats to destabilize the global economy if tariffs were imposed on Chinese shipping.
The “wolf warrior” jab references the aggressive diplomacy style adopted by Chinese officials, inspired by the 2015 Chinese nationalist film Wolf Warrior.
Bessent emphasized that while tensions over rare earth export controls remain high, the upcoming Trump-Xi meeting on October 29 is expected to proceed, and the US is prepared to counter China’s moves if necessary.
The incident underscores the volatile nature of US-China trade relations and the challenges in managing diplomacy while negotiating global economic policies.
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