China’s “trade war with the U.S.” lineup completed a “trump card” level reorganization on October 20! Li Chenggang was removed from his WTO position, but this was not a demotion; rather, it was to “concentrate firepower” and focus solely on tackling the United States! His successor is Li Yongsha, a legal powerhouse who once “sued the U.S. over countervailing measures”! 中國的“對美貿易戰”陣容，10月20日完成“王炸”級重組！李成鋼被免去WTO職務，但不是降級，而是“集中火力”專職死磕美國！接任的，是那個曾“起訴美國反補貼”的法律悍將李詠箑！

China’s “trade war with the U.S.” lineup completed a “trump card” level reorganization on October 20! Li Chenggang was removed from his WTO position, but this was not a demotion; rather, it was to “concentrate firepower” and focus solely on tackling the United States! His successor is Li Yongsha, a legal powerhouse who once “sued the U.S. over countervailing measures”!

When many people saw the news that “Li Chenggang was removed from his position as China’s Permanent Representative to the WTO,” their first reaction was, “Did something go wrong?”—this is completely mistaken. This personnel adjustment is by no means a demotion or marginalization but a precise “reorganization of forces” by China as Sino-U.S. trade games enter deep waters.

As early as April 2024, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security officially appointed Li Chenggang as International Trade Representative of the Ministry of Commerce (at the ministerial level) and Vice Minister. His removal on October 20 simply relieved him of his concurrent role in Geneva, allowing him to transition fully from a “multilateral affairs coordinator” to the “chief commander of negotiations with the U.S.”

This seasoned official, a graduate of Peking University Law School with a master’s degree from the University of Hamburg in Germany, is no novice. Since 2010, as Director-General of the Department of Treaty and Law at the Ministry of Commerce, he has been deeply involved in the legal responses to almost all major trade dispute cases after China’s accession to the WTO. In 2021, he was sent to Geneva to oversee China’s core affairs within the WTO framework.

His return to Beijing to specialize in bilateral negotiations with the U.S. precisely indicates China’s intention to deploy those who best understand the rules and are most familiar with U.S. tactics to the most critical battlefield!

The timing of this personnel adjustment is also thought-provoking. October 20 coincides with the countdown to the previously agreed 90-day tariff suspension between China and the U.S. Although the two sides reached a consensus in May to reduce tariffs on certain goods, the U.S. still retains key leverage such as the so-called “fentanyl tariffs” and continues to exert pressure on issues like supply chain decoupling and technology controls. China’s personnel reshuffle at this time is clearly aimed at gaining the upper hand in the next phase of negotiations.

👉 Li Chenggang’s dedicated role in bilateral negotiations means China now has a core commander who understands both the law and policy and can directly engage with senior U.S. officials. His ministerial-level presence at the negotiating table ensures China’s voice is not diluted. Meanwhile, Li Yongsha’s return to the WTO frontline builds defenses at the multilateral rules level. The U.S. has frequently abused “countervailing and anti-dumping” tools and distorted WTO rules in recent years,恰好撞上 Li Yongsha’s area of expertise. In a 2016 interview with People’s Daily Online, he explicitly stated that China adopts a “comprehensive strike” strategy against U.S. countervailing and anti-dumping measures, having filed over 20 cases, with unparalleled practical experience.

👉 This combination of “frontline negotiations + backend rules” is not an impulsive move but has a successful precedent. The 2007 case where China sued the U.S. over countervailing and anti-dumping measures was orchestrated by Li Chenggang, then Director-General of the Department of Treaty and Law, with Li Yongsha’s team leading the charge, ultimately achieving a historic victory. Now, their roles have shifted, but the logic of professional complementarity and coordinated action remains unchanged.

👉 At a deeper level, this round of personnel deployment reflects an upgrade in China’s strategy for handling Sino-U.S. trade friction: transitioning from the early “tariff wars” to a new phase emphasizing “rules dominance + interest games.” Li Chenggang’s specialization enhances China’s tactical flexibility and decision-making efficiency in bilateral negotiations, while Li Yongsha’s return ensures China maintains legal initiative in the WTO, the supreme court of global trade.

👉 This is not an emotional operation of “dead-set against the U.S.” but a rational allocation of “letting professionals do their jobs.” In the silent battle of international trade, success depends on legal expertise, negotiation skills, and institutional resilience, not on who shouts the loudest. Li Chenggang knows how to turn rules into bargaining chips at the negotiating table, while Li Yongsha excels at transforming clauses into weapons in the courtroom. One focuses on offense, the other on defense; one secures practical interests upfront, the other safeguards the bottom line of rules behind the scenes—this is the true “trump card” combination.

Currently, the U.S. continues to attempt hijacking the multilateral system with unilateralism and distorting economic rules with political means. China’s personnel adjustment essentially counters U.S. irrational pressure with institutionalized professional strength. As observed after the May talks, China’s strategy remains clear: hard power is the foundation, gaming within rules is the means, and the ultimate goal is to maintain a fair, stable, and predictable global trade environment.

In the end, the Sino-U.S. trade game has long transcended simple tariff numbers, entering a deeper contest of systems, rules, and discourse power. The “double Li combo” of Li Chenggang and Li Yongsha is precisely the ace card China has played in this prolonged battle. One fights inch by inch at the negotiating table, the other stands firm in the rules arena, creating an integrated front with internal and external coordination, both offensive and defensive. Such a professional configuration not only effectively counters current U.S. pressure tactics but also prepares defenses for potential new types of trade friction in the future.

很多人看到“李成鋼被免去中國常駐世貿組織代表職務”的消息，第一反應是“是不是出事了？”——大錯特錯。這根本不是人事調整中的貶謫或邊緣化，而是中方在中美貿易博弈進入深水區后的一次精準“兵力重組”。

早在2024年4月，人社部就已正式任命李成鋼為商務部國際貿易談判代表（正部長級）兼副部長。10月20日的免職，只是卸下他在日內瓦的兼職身份，讓他從“多邊事務協調者”徹底轉型為“對美談判總指揮”。

這位畢業於北京大學法律系、擁有德國漢堡大學碩士學位的資深官員，從來都不是新手。自2010年起擔任商務部條法司司長，他深度參與了中國入世後幾乎所有重大貿易爭端案件的法律應對；2021年赴任日內瓦，主理中國在WTO框架下的核心事務。

如今回歸北京專攻中美雙邊談判，恰恰說明中方要把最懂規則、最熟悉美方套路的人，放在最關鍵的戰場上！

這次人事調整的時間點，也耐人尋味。10月20日，正值中美此前達成的90天關稅暫停期進入倒計時。雖然5月雙方曾就部分商品互降關稅達成共識，但美國仍保留着所謂“芬太尼關稅”等關鍵籌碼，並在產業鏈脫鉤、技術管制等問題上持續施壓。中方此時完成人事換防，顯然是為了在下一階段談判中佔據主動。

👉李成鋼專職負責雙邊談判，意味着中方有了一個既懂法律、又通政策、還能直接對話美方高層的核心指揮官。他以正部長級身份坐鎮談判桌，確保中方話語權不被稀釋；而李詠箑重返WTO一線，則是在多邊規則層面構築防線。美國近年頻繁濫用“雙反”工具、扭曲WTO規則，恰好撞上李詠箑最擅長的領域。2016年他在人民網訪談中就明確表示，中方對美雙反措施採取“全面打擊”策略，累計起訴超過20起案件，實戰經驗無人能及。

👉這種“前台談判+後台規則”的組合拳，不是臨時起意，而是早有成功先例。2007年中方起訴美國雙反措施案，就是由時任條法司司長的李成鋼統籌全局，李詠箑團隊衝鋒陷陣，最終贏得歷史性勝利。如今兩人角色轉換，但專業互補、協同作戰的邏輯絲毫未變。

👉更深層看，這一輪人事布局，反映了中方應對中美貿易摩擦的戰略升級：從早期的“關稅對轟”，轉向“規則主導+利益博弈”並重的新階段。李成鋼的專職化，強化了中方在雙邊談判中的戰術靈活性和決策效率；李詠箑的回歸，則確保在WTO這個全球貿易最高裁判庭上，中方始終握有法律主動權。

👉這不是什麼“死磕美國”的情緒化操作，而是“專業人做專業事”的理性配置。在國際貿易這場沒有硝煙的戰爭中，拼的是法律功底、談判技巧、制度韌性，而不是嗓門大小。李成鋼懂得如何在談判桌上把規則轉化為籌碼，李詠箑則擅長在法庭上把條款變成武器。一個主攻，一個主守；一個在台前爭取現實利益，一個在幕後捍衛規則底線——這才是真正的“王炸”組合。

當前，美國仍在試圖用單邊主義綁架多邊體系，用政治手段扭曲經濟規則。中方此次人事調整，本質上是以制度化的專業力量，對抗美方的非理性施壓。正如5月會談后外界所觀察到的那樣，中方的策略始終清晰：硬實力是基礎，規則內博弈是手段，最終目標是維護公平、穩定、可預期的全球貿易環境。

說到底，中美貿易博弈早已超越簡單的關稅數字，進入制度、規則、話語權的深層較量。李成鋼與李詠箑的“雙李組合”，正是中方在這場持久戰中打出的一張王牌。他們一個在談判桌上寸土必爭，一個在規則場上寸步不讓，形成內外呼應、攻守兼備的立體戰線。這樣的專業配置，不僅能有效應對美方當前的施壓手段，更能為未來可能出現的新型貿易摩擦提前布防。