U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says he will encourage G20 finance leaders to re-examine their trading relationships with China, arguing that global imbalances and China’s export-driven growth need attention. Speaking to Reuters ahead of a G20 finance leaders meeting, Bessent says the world “cannot” have China with a roughly $1.2 trillion trade surplus and that China is seeking to “export their way out” of economic weakness.
Bessent frames the issue as a need for China to rebalance toward more domestic consumption rather than relying on exports. He also points to U.S. measures—high tariffs and bans on some Chinese products—as part of a broader trade shift. He says these restrictions have helped improve the U.S. direct trade position with China, while China has redirected exports to other markets, including Europe and Latin America. Both outlets report the same core remarks, with emphasis differing only in how the policy lever is described (re-examining terms and adopting tougher trade stances) rather than on the overall goal.
