The US administration yesterday said it was heading for a confrontation with China over bilateral economic relations if Beijing did not move immediately to open its markets to US imports.
In a harsh speech delivered a month ahead of the visit to Washington by Hu Jintao, the Chinese president, Carlos Gutierrez, commerce secretary, said the US had almost run out of patience waiting for China to take steps to cut its ballooning $200 billion (€166 billion) trade surplus with the US.
His remarks came just hours after Wen Jiabao, the Chinese premier, ruled out any further sharp adjustments in the value of the renminbi, scotching hopes of a substantial revaluation ahead of Mr Hu's visit. The commerce secretary said: "China's failure to address economic friction will have consequences. Without concrete results, the administration, and the American people, may be forced to reassess our bilateral economic relationship."
He warned of rising anger in the US congress, where support is growing for trade action against China. "Without results... congress may go down a path that none of us want."
He added that the Beijing government could with "the stroke of a pen" move to open up telecommunications, information technology and state procurement sectors, and do far more to protect US intellectual property.
