When U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reportedly described China’s chief trade negotiator Li Chenggang as “unhinged” shortly before a key summit in October, it painted an image of a volatile bureaucrat overstepping his role. Yet those familiar with Li portray him quite differently: a disciplined, sharp-minded, and assertive diplomat who combines intellectual rigour with strategic precision.
A Tough but Skilled Negotiator
Li, 58, currently serves as China’s vice commerce minister and has spent decades immersed in international trade diplomacy. Known for his chain-smoking habit and passion for porcelain collecting, he is also admired for his encyclopaedic grasp of trade law and fluent English. Those who have interacted with him describe a negotiator who blends charm with steely resolve, able to switch seamlessly between persuasion and pressure.
More than a dozen diplomats, businesspeople, and former U.S. officials who have engaged with Li call him pragmatic and confident—a “rising star” within China’s trade apparatus. A senior American business figure who attended talks with him said he exudes “executive presence,” standing apart from the typically restrained Chinese bureaucratic style.
Li’s career includes a pivotal posting at the World Trade Organization before assuming his current role. Between April and October last year, he guided a series of stop-start talks across European capitals, including Geneva, Stockholm, and London. The discussions focused on critical areas such as rare earth exports, agricultural imports, and semiconductor access—issues underpinning $660 billion in annual bilateral trade.
Achieving a Fragile Trade Truce
Those months of tense negotiations culminated in a cautious but enduring truce. China agreed to suspend new export curbs on rare earths for a year and to purchase 12 million tons of U.S. soybeans by March. Analysts say this agreement helped stabilise one of the world’s most consequential economic relationships.
“Li’s immediate priority is to maintain the bilateral trade truce and ensure a constructive atmosphere for President Trump’s upcoming visit to China,” said Neil Thomas of the Asia Society. He noted that China’s biggest challenge will be persuading Washington to ease export controls without sparking political backlash at home.
The “Unhinged” Incident and Washington’s Reaction
Li’s reputation for assertiveness came under scrutiny weeks before the October summit when he reportedly sought high-level meetings in Washington that exceeded his diplomatic rank. According to several U.S. businesspeople briefed on the trip, Li attempted to meet U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer but was instead received by Commerce Department Undersecretary William Kimmitt and a Treasury official of equivalent status.
During those meetings, Li is said to have “read the riot act,” firmly conveying Beijing’s dissatisfaction with U.S. negotiating behaviour and pressing for a reset. His direct approach reportedly irritated Bessent, who later criticised him publicly.
Despite the episode, officials on both sides acknowledge Li’s central role in maintaining a working channel between the world’s two largest economies. Within China’s hierarchy, Li ranks just below the commerce minister, while Vice Premier He Lifeng oversees the broader U.S.-China economic relationship and remains Bessent’s formal counterpart.
As President Trump plans visits to Beijing later this year and hints at a renewed trade dialogue, Li Chenggang’s skill in balancing firmness with diplomacy will once again be tested on the global stage.
with inputs from Reuters
