Unfair trade practices impede US, global growth: US Treasury's Mnuchin

WASHINGTON: Unfair trade practices hamper the economic growth of the United States and world economies, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Friday.

Amid rising concerns about Washington's growing trade dispute with China and its effect on the global economic recovery, Mnuchin said ensuring free trade would help boost growth.

"We strongly believe that unfair global trade practices impede stronger US and global growth, acting as a persistent drag on the global economy," he said in a statement to the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund.