China has reassigned its top trade negotiator, Li Chenggang, removing him from his position as permanent representative to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), state news agency Xinhua reported on Monday.

The news comes after tension between the world’s two biggest economies flared after the United States added more foreign companies under its sanctions and China set wide-ranging export curbs on rare earths and critical materials in response.

The announcement, following Li’s April appointment to the job of lead international trade negotiator, was part of a routine list of recent ambassadorial changes approved by President Xi Jinping.

China’s current representative to the WTO is Li Yongjie, who presented her credentials on September 29, the trade body said on its Weibo social media acc

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