Star Metro - G20 trade ministers open talks under strain of Trump tariffs

Officials from the Group of 20 major economies -- which includes China, India, Russia, Japan, Canada and France -- are holding two days of intensive talks and bilateral meetings in Milwaukee.

But their gathering in the Midwestern city comes amid a deepening US-Canada trade war, waves of US tariffs and Trump's investigations into member countries over excess industrial capacity.

Analysts expect few breakthroughs as trade tensions simmer. China rejects worries about its exports and criticism of overcapacity, seen as unfairly driving down prices by flooding markets.

Countries are meanwhile seeking deals with the Trump administration as top US trade official Jamieson Greer hosts his counterparts, with India pushing to get its trade pact over the finish line.

The G20 trade ministerial comes after finance ministers met in Asheville, setting the stage for a December leaders' summit in Miami.

Heading into talks early Wednesday, Polish Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski urged for a lowering of trade barriers.

"Our position was always very clear: That tariffs are bad for companies, are bad for customers and of course are increasing inflation," he told reporters.

"I do hope that our US partners will stick to all settlements that were made," he added, referring to an earlier deal between the United States and European Union to cap Trump's duties on the bloc at 15 percent.

Poland is not a permanent G20 member but has been invited to the table this year as Washington holds the grouping's rotating presidency. In turn, US officials have excluded South Africa.

Also on the agenda this week are efforts to eliminate forced labor in supply chains and the targeting of access to food supplies to pressure others.

Domanski on Wednesday condemned "all actions taken by Russia against the export of agriculture products from Ukraine," as Moscow and Kyiv remain at war after Russia's 2022 invasion.

- Tariff threats -

Domanski's remarks come as US investigations into overcapacity target 16 trading partners including China, the EU, Japan and India.

This brings the threat of further tariffs even on partners that have struck tariff deals with Washington, like the EU and Japan.

Greer maintained at a roundtable late Tuesday that the United States "is not anti-trade."

Asked about existing deals to cut tariffs imposed by Trump in his second presidency, Greer told reporters Tuesday: "We will certainly take them into account."

On striking a pact with Canada, where certain products now face a US ban due to their trade spat, Greer added: "It's not urgent for us."

"At some point will there be a deal? I mean, presumably, they have to trade with us a lot. We trade a lot with them too."

"Eventually, it will happen," he said.

- Under pressure -

Even as G20 officials want to cooperate with the United States, "they will also be under pressure to voice their concerns with tariffs," former US trade official Wendy Cutler told AFP.

Cutler, now with the Asia Society Policy Institute, expects some countries will "mince no words" as they feel they have been unfairly targeted on excess capacity.

Trump has unleashed a barrage of tariffs on trading partners since returning to the White House, separately targeting sectors like steel and autos.

While the Supreme Court struck down many of his duties, US officials have reimposed new tariffs on 60 partners -- covering most trade -- by alleging insufficient action against forced labor.

Canada's international trade minister Maninder Sidhu stressed Ottawa's support for "open, predictable and rules-based trade" ahead of Wednesday's talks.

He plans to speak with partners in Milwaukee as Canadian officials try to diversify an economy they view as too reliant on an increasingly protectionist United States.

The G20 comprises 19 nations plus the EU and the African Union.

G.Boudreau--SMC