Senior economic officials from the United States and China held high-level trade discussions in Paris as both sides seek to stabilize economic relations and prepare the ground for an expected meeting between their leaders later this month.
The talks are being led by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng. The meeting is part of a new round of negotiations aimed at addressing tensions in trade and economic policy before a planned summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Officials from both countries gathered at the headquarters of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris, where discussions are expected to focus on key economic disputes and maintaining a fragile trade truce between the world’s two largest economies.
According to officials familiar with the negotiations, the agenda includes US tariffs on Chinese goods, export controls on advanced technology, Chinese rare-earth mineral exports, and Beijing’s purchases of American agricultural products. The talks are also expected to examine broader trade imbalances and potential new Chinese purchases of US commodities and industrial goods.
The Paris meeting forms part of ongoing efforts to prevent trade tensions from escalating again after earlier tariff disputes and export restrictions strained relations between Washington and Beijing. Both sides previously agreed to measures intended to ease tensions, including commitments related to agricultural trade and supply of critical minerals used in high-technology industries.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is also expected to participate in the discussions alongside senior Chinese trade negotiators, as the two sides attempt to map out potential outcomes for the upcoming leaders’ summit.
However, analysts caution that the Paris talks are unlikely to produce a major breakthrough due to limited preparation time and broader geopolitical tensions affecting both governments. The ongoing conflict involving Iran and rising global energy concerns may also influence the discussions, particularly in relation to oil markets and supply routes.
The meeting is considered a key diplomatic step toward a possible summit between Trump and Xi, which could take place later in March in Beijing. Officials say the primary objective of the talks is to maintain stability in economic relations and avoid a renewed escalation in tariffs or trade restrictions between the two countries.
Despite ongoing disagreements over trade policies and economic practices, both Washington and Beijing have continued high-level dialogue in recent months, signaling that neither side wants a full breakdown in economic cooperation between the two largest economies in the global system.