In Multiple TV Appearances, Clete Willems Discusses U.S.-China Trade Negotiations

Clete Willems, an incoming public law and policy partner at Akin Gump who served as an international economics advisor to President Trump, has made several recent television appearances discussing the trade negotiations between the United States and China. Willems most recently led the White House Office of International Economic Affairs.

Appearing on the FOX News Channel program “Outnumbered Overtime,” Willems observed that, even though the United States and China have shown they are “interested in continued engagement,” there remain some substantive sticking points. These include Beijing’s push for requiring forced technology transfer and its intellectual property theft.

There are also some political issues, Willems said, pointing out that “there needs to be an understanding that this isn’t just a U.S.-China issue. This isn’t just about the U.S. trying to keep China down. … The problems the U.S. is articulating here are problems shared by the global community.”

Continuing, Willems said, “[The U.S. wants] to help China grow. It would be good if China’s economy would grow. It just can’t do so in a way that is discriminatory and that harms U.S. businesses and workers. That’s the challenge.”

Willems echoed many of these remarks in an interview on FOX Business’s “Mornings with Maria” program, adding that he hopes the United States and China can work out a deal “so there’s a mutual understanding that we’re trying to help each other get through these problems.”

“If we don’t find a way to get a better political understanding, it’s going to be difficult” to get a deal, Willems added.

Underscoring that point, Willems said in an interview airing on BBC that President Trump “is willing to walk away, he’s willing to take tough action if it’s not the right deal.”

Willems is due to join Akin Gump next month. (Click here to learn more.)