Biden’s top trade negotiator defended China tariffs as an important source of leverage.

Lawmakers on Wednesday pressed President Biden’s top trade negotiator over the administration’s trade strategy toward China, including what, if anything, Mr. Biden planned to do about tariffs on Chinese goods that were imposed by his predecessor.

The Biden administration has been under pressure to ease some or all of the tariffs as a way to help deal with inflation, which is running at its fastest pace in 40 years. Katherine Tai, the U.S….