China has threatened trade with some countries after feuds. They’re calling ‘the firm’ for help

By DIDI TANG
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. State Department has set up an eight-person team known as “the firm” to provide help to countries cut off from Chinese trade. The team emerged after Washington stepped in to help Lithuania when the northern European country found its cargo shipments to and from China stranded two years ago during a feud over Taiwan. State Department officials say Washington sees ”the firm” as an emergency response when a country fears facing economic pressure from China. The Chinese Embassy in the U.S. says Beijing opposes economic coercion and calls the American allegation “completely unfounded.”