Beijing calls for talks to defuse U.S.-China trade tensions

Liu He, member of the Political Bureau of CPC Central Committee. File

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s top economic adviser told U.S. business leaders in Washington that Beijing hopes the White House will revive high-level dialogue on economic disputes and name a new chief liaison to defuse mounting trade tensions, a person briefed on the matter said.

The adviser, Liu He, said he will take charge of reform efforts this month and wants a list of U.S. demands for what China could do to ease tensions, according to the person.

Mr. Liu was speaking at an event with executives, including former United States Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson and the CEOs of firms that included JP Morgan Chase and chipmaker Qualcomm.