US and China Launch Talks to Pave Way for Trump-Xi Summit

Paris – Top U.S. And Chinese economic officials have initiated a new round of talks in Paris on Sunday, aiming to address remaining issues in their trade truce and prepare for a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping slated for the end of March [Reuters].

Key Discussion Points

The discussions are being led by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng. The agenda focuses on several critical areas, including adjustments to existing U.S. Tariffs, the supply of Chinese-produced rare earth minerals and magnets to American buyers, U.S. Export controls on high-tech products and Chinese purchases of U.S. Agricultural goods [Reuters], [Bloomberg].

Meeting Location and Context

The meeting is taking place at the Paris headquarters of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Whereas China is not a member of the OECD, which consists of 38 mostly wealthy democracies, it identifies as a developing country [Reuters].

Background

This meeting follows a previous encounter between Presidents Trump and Xi Jinping last year, where they agreed to a one-year truce in a trade war [PBS]. The current talks aim to build upon that agreement and establish a framework for further cooperation ahead of the upcoming summit in Beijing [Bloomberg].

Looking Ahead

The outcome of these discussions in Paris will significantly shape the agenda for the Trump-Xi summit, as negotiators work to map out a path forward on key economic issues [Bloomberg].