China Sanctions US Firms Ahead of Xi-Trump Summit
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- China's Commerce Ministry announced a new slate of sanctions against the United States and some of its firms on Wednesday, in response to recent moves by two US agencies that targeted China.
- The sanctions announcement comes more than a month before Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to visit President Trump.
Why it matters: By imposing sanctions weeks before the Xi-Trump summit rather than after, Beijing is ensuring trade frictions are a live issue when the two leaders meet. The tit-for-tat exchange between China's Commerce Ministry and two US agencies signals that the diplomatic track will be negotiated against a backdrop of newly imposed restrictions, not a clean slate.
