At the WTO's General Council meeting that took place yesterday and today, China put on the agenda a systemic concern about recent trade actions and rhetoric by President Donald Trump and his administration relating to tariffs and tariff threats.

The U.S. government has filed its brief in the litigation over whether Hesai Technology, an electronics company headquartered in Shanghai, should be taken off a blacklist of Chinese military companies.

At the Munich Security Conference, one of the most prominent political gatherings focused on international security policy, China's Foreign Minister articulated Beijing’s vision for global cooperation while also addressing concerns over rising protectionism and unilateralism.

Amid a series of ongoing trade remedy measures and investigations between China and the EU, China's Ministry of Commerce recently reached an affirmative decision in the expiry review on the anti-dumping measures on EU potato starch.

In President Trump's first few weeks in office, he has been very active on trade policy, frequently airing his complaints about trade deficits and unfair trade. From a Chinese perspective, his early activity is probably somewhat of a relief, as he and his administration have challenged other U.

This past week, CTM covered the following issues: * China’s retaliatory tariffs on U.S. * MOFCOM comments on sanctions on PVH and Illumina * China's SPS announcements in January * New U.S. 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum * U.S. House hearing on Chinese port investments * Panama’s decision

At a recent press conference, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) answered questions regarding the sanctions on two U.S. companies – PVH and Illumina – and criticized new U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum.