US Treasury chief targets China trade surplus at G20 ahead of Xi-Trump summit

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent used the G20 Finance Ministers' meeting in Asheville to publicly pressure China over its global trade surplus, framing it as a 'persistent global imbalance' ahead of a planned Xi-Trump summit. The move signals a deliberate escalation of economic statecraft, likely setting the stage for bilateral trade demands. The summit's outcome remains uncertain, but the rhetoric suggests a hardening US stance.