The Chinese trade negotiator who sparked controversy last year with his "hellfire" remarks has effectively been promoted.
On September 20, the State Council of China appointed Li Chenggang (李成鋼) as the "International Trade Negotiator of the People's Republic of China" (ministerial level), according to a report by the Chinese news outlet Pengpai on September 21. Li has been serving as the "International Trade Negotiator of the Ministry of Commerce" since last year. This appointment elevates him beyond his previous role within the Ministry of Commerce, positioning him as a representative of the Chinese government. Analysts suggest that this places Li on equal footing with U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer.
Since last year, Li has been leading China's trade and economic negotiation team alongside Vice Premier He Lifeng. In the U.S., Treasury Secretary Scott Bevin and USTR Greer have been at the helm of their negotiation team. This recent appointment confirms that Li enjoys increased trust from the Chinese leadership.
Li is a prominent trade expert in China. He graduated from Peking University with a degree in law and obtained a master's degree in legal economics from the University of Hamburg in Germany. He has worked at the Ministry of Commerce and served as China's ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO) since 2021. He returned to China in March last year to take on the role of international trade negotiator.
Li has garnered attention in the U.S. for his tough negotiation style. In August of last year, during U.S.-China negotiations, he reportedly warned the U.S. of a strong response. A senior U.S. official claimed in October that Li had stated that if the U.S. did not comply with China's demands, it would face "hellfire." At that time, Secretary Bevin criticized Li for being "rude" by showing up uninvited and making harsh remarks.
The expression used by Li sparked controversy, with some suggesting that the strong term "hellfire" was a misinterpretation of a Chinese idiom during translation.
Currently, Li is participating in high-level U.S.-China economic and trade talks in New York alongside Vice Premier He Lifeng, which began on September 20. These talks are expected to continue until September 23, with the outcomes leading to a U.S.-China summit scheduled for September 24.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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