SENIOR officials from the United States and China will meet in Switzerland later this week in a bid to restart formal trade negotiations, as both nations grapple with the fallout from a renewed tariff war triggered by Washington earlier this year.
The talks, confirmed by both governments, represent the first public high-level engagement between the two sides since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January and imposed sweeping tariffs on Chinese imports.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer will represent the United States at the talks, according to statements from their respective offices.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Vice Premier He Lifeng will lead Beijing’s delegation.
“Vice Premier He, as the Chinese lead person for China-US economic and trade affairs, will have a meeting with the US lead person Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent,” AFP cited the ministry saying in a statement on Wednesday, May 7.
The USTR also confirmed that Greer “would meet with his counterpart from the People's Republic of China to discuss trade matters,” though it did not name the Chinese official involved.
Since January, the Trump administration has introduced new tariffs totalling 145 per cent on a wide range of Chinese goods, including sector-specific surcharges. In response, Beijing imposed retaliatory tariffs of 125 per cent on US imports, accompanied by additional targeted trade measures.
The upcoming talks in Switzerland are expected to focus on de-escalating tensions and potentially paving the way for broader negotiations. - May 7, 2025
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