China may have just signaled it's going more hard-line on trade, but it could actually be a good thing, former top White House trade negotiator Clete Willems, told CNBC on Wednesday. Beijing added a new member to its negotiating team last week: Commerce minister Zhong Shan, who's seen by many officials in Washington as a hard-liner. It could be a sign that Chinese leader Xi Jinping is standing firm on trade, analysts say. The Chinese minister was present at last month's G-20 summit. He also participated in a phone conversation with U.S. trade representatives last week. By adding Zhong to the negotiating team, it shows that Xi is trying to win over the hard-liners, said Willems, who left his role as deputy director of the National Economic Council (NEC) in March.

President Xi is only going to be able to get a deal if the hard-liners are bought in. Clete Willems Former top White House trade negotiator

"China has now elevated its commerce minister Zhong Shan and made him a part of the core negotiating team along with (Vice Premier) Liu He. A lot of people are nervous — he's seen as a hard-liner," Willems told CNBC's "Squawk Box." But he's not overly concerned. "I actually think it's a good thing because what it shows is that President Xi is trying to get buy-in from both the hard-line within China and the reformers, which is going to be necessary ingredients for a deal," Willems said. "President Xi is only going to be able to get a deal if the hard-liners are bought in," he added.

Flexibility needed