Chinese officials warn US business delegation of higher tariffs risks

Chinese officials warned a delegation of top US executives visiting Beijing this week that higher tariffs on imports from China will harm their businesses inside the country.

The delegation of influential business people belonging to the US China Business Council, including the CEOs of FedEx and Micron, followed a top-level meeting last week where ruling Communist Party leaders endorsed a blueprint for policies that included numerous pledges to improve the business environment for foreign investors.

But they also vowed greater vigilance in protecting state secrets, a potential minefield for foreign businesses that face intense scrutiny of their China operations by authorities.

Both the US and China have cited national security concerns in imposing restrictions on trade and investment, and American businesses have at times been caught in the middle. Beijing has objected strenuously to Washington's moves to hike tariffs on Chinese-made products and limit Chinese access to advanced ...