The trade negotiators, led by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, They began talks in Paris on Sunday to outline plans for a leaders’ summit later this month.
Trade negotiators are expected to review the latest progress on the truce reached in November and address issues such as the war in Iran, as well as investments and purchases. The results will set the stage for President Donald Trump’s trip to China from March 31 to April 2, the first visit by a U.S. president to Beijing in nearly a decade.
This meeting also marks the first meeting between both parties since the Supreme Court of The United States ruled that Trump had no authority to impose tariffs using the International Emergency Economic Powers Acta tool he used to threaten to impose tariffs of up to 145% on China.
The Trump administration has since imposed a blanket 10% tariff and pledged to rebuild part of its tariff barrier using other powers. Greer began the process of imposing tariffs under his agency’s Section 301, launching an investigation over allegations of industrial overcapacity and forced labor practices in several economies, including China.
Bessent, Greer and He have a history of bilateral negotiations. They met in Geneva last May to begin a series of conversations that culminated in subsequent sessions in London, Stockholm, Madrid and Kuala Lumpur. This resulted in a truce under which Washington and Beijing reduced tariffs and export restrictions.
Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Li Chenggang It is also present in conversations.
In January, Greer said both sides could try focus on reaching a trade deal in non-sensitive sectors in talks prior to Trump’s visit to China.
