Beijing: China's chief trade negotiator, Li Chenggang, has been removed from his position as the permanent representative to the World Trade Organization, state media reported Monday. This development comes days after US Commerce Secretary Scott Besant criticized Li's approach during their recent interactions.

According to Yemen News Agency, China's official Xinhua News Agency published a list of new diplomatic appointments on Monday, which confirmed Li's removal from his WTO position. Despite this change, Li continues to serve as China's foreign trade representative and vice minister of commerce.

US Commerce Secretary Besant, in an interview with CNBC last Wednesday, claimed that Li had threatened that China would "create chaos in the global order" if the US proceeded with imposing docking fees on Chinese ships. Besant characterized Li's behavior during his visit to Washington last August as "a bit unbalanced."

When questioned about the connection between Li's removal and Besant's remarks, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry clarified that the removal was simply a "routine personnel change."

Li had led a Chinese delegation to Washington in August for trade negotiations, where he advocated for "equal dialogue and consultation" between the US and China, according to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce. In a bid to prevent further escalation in the ongoing tariff dispute, both nations have agreed to hold another round of trade talks next week.