Blurb: Senior officials from United States and China meet in Paris to resolve trade issues ahead of Trump visit.
Paris
Senior economic officials from the United States and China are preparing to begin a new round of trade discussions in Paris on Sunday as both countries attempt to strengthen a fragile trade truce. The talks are expected to address several contentious issues and lay the groundwork for an upcoming meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing later this month.
The negotiations will be led by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng, with participation from U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Officials from both sides are expected to focus on resolving remaining tensions related to tariffs, technology exports, and access to key raw materials.
A major topic of discussion will be the United States’ tariff policies on Chinese goods and the broader impact these measures have had on bilateral trade. Another key issue involves the supply of rare earth minerals and specialized magnets produced in China, which are critical for industries ranging from electronics to renewable energy and defense manufacturing in the United States.
The talks will take place at the Paris headquarters of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, an international body consisting mainly of advanced economies. Although China is not a member of the organization and continues to describe itself as a developing country, the venue has frequently hosted high-level economic discussions involving major global powers.
American officials are also expected to raise concerns about Chinese purchases of U.S. agricultural products, as well as Washington’s export controls on advanced technologies. These controls have been a major point of friction between the two countries, particularly in sectors such as semiconductors and artificial intelligence.
The Paris meeting follows a series of diplomatic engagements held across European cities last year, which were aimed at preventing a full-scale trade breakdown between the world’s two largest economies. Analysts say the upcoming discussions will be closely watched by global markets, as any progress could help stabilize economic relations and reduce uncertainty in international trade.
If successful, the negotiations could pave the way for a smoother visit by Trump to Beijing at the end of March, where both leaders are expected to discuss broader economic cooperation and geopolitical issues. The outcome of these talks may play a key role in determining the future direction of U.S.-China economic relations.