U.S. Tariff Threat Could Scuttle Planned Trade Talks With China

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross is scheduled to fly to Beijing on Saturday

BEIJING—The White House’s surprise decision to move forward with tariffs and other sanctions against China threatens to derail trade talks scheduled for this weekend, according to people with knowledge of the matter on both sides.

A U.S. advance team was scheduled to arrive in Beijing Wednesday afternoon, the people said, ahead of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross’s planned arrival on Saturday. Members of the U.S. team, consisting of staffers from the Commerce, Treasury, Agriculture and Energy departments and the office of the...