BEIJING (AP) — Economic negotiations between the United States and China commenced in Paris on Sunday, according to China’s state news service Xinhua.
The discussions, headed by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, are designed to lay groundwork for President Donald Trump’s planned state visit to Beijing for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in approximately two weeks. The White House announced Trump’s China trip is scheduled for March 31 through April 2, though Chinese officials have yet to provide official confirmation.
Speaking Thursday, Bessent stated his team would continue producing outcomes that prioritize America’s agricultural sector, workforce, and business community. China’s commerce ministry announced Friday that both nations plan to address “trade and economic issues of mutual concern.”
This upcoming China visit would mark Trump’s first presidential trip there since his 2017 visit during his initial term. The meeting comes five months following the leaders’ encounter in Busan, South Korea, where they established a one-year pause in their trade conflict that had previously escalated tariffs to triple-digit levels before both countries stepped back.
However, commercial disputes continue creating friction. On Friday, China’s commerce ministry criticized the Trump administration’s latest trade probe targeting 16 nations, including China. This investigation follows a Supreme Court decision that overturned Trump’s broad international tariffs from last year and could lead to additional tariffs.
The Iran conflict represents another potential discussion topic, particularly as global concerns mount regarding oil pricing and supply chains. Trump stated Saturday he expects China, France, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and other nations to deploy naval vessels to maintain the Strait of Hormuz as “open and safe.”
Prior to Sunday’s negotiations, Gary Ng, a senior economist with French bank Natixis and research fellow at the Central European Institute of Asian Studies, described the Paris gathering as likely the most significant bilateral meeting before the Xi-Trump summit.
The central question involves “whether China and the U.S. can agree on what is agreed and manage disagreement. Iran is a new factor, but Beijing is more concerned about the flip-flopping of U.S. policies,” he said.
Last week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi characterized the coming period as a “big year” for China-U.S. relations. Though Wang didn’t confirm the state visit, he noted that “the agenda of high-level exchange is already on the table.”
Bessent and He have spearheaded trade discussions between the nations since last year, conducting meetings across Geneva, London, Stockholm, Madrid, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
