Top Trump officials head to China for high-stakes trade talks

According to statements released Tuesday night by both offices, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will travel to Switzerland this weekend to meet with their China counterparts for direct talks on trade and economic issues.

The two officials will participate in back-to-back meetings scheduled for both Saturday and Sunday. These meetings are the most serious diplomatic step taken between the two governments since President Trump intensified tariffs last month.

Bessent confirmed the meeting details in an interview on Fox News, saying plainly that both sides needed to stop the bleeding.

“We have shared interests,” Scott said. “The current tariff war isn’t sustainable, especially on the Chinese side. And, you know, 145 percent tariffs, 125 percent, is the equivalent of an embargo. We don’t want to decouple, what we want is fair trade.”

Trump increases pressure while Bessent and Greer pursue talks

The face-to-face discussions will happen after Trump raised tariffs on Chinese imports to 145%, a move that left Beijing no choice but to retaliate.

The president also slashed most reciprocal tariffs on America’s other trading partners, isolating China and escalating tensions. As the news of these new meetings spread, US stock futures reversed losses from earlier that evening and shot up sharply.

Both Scott and Jamieson will also meet with Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter, who is expected to join conversations aimed at reducing global trade friction.

On the Chinese side, Vice Premier He Lifeng—China’s top figure in charge of handling economic relations with the US—will lead Beijing’s team, according to a report from NBC News. He will sit down with Scott in Switzerland as the two governments try to reduce the risk of further economic fallout.

Scott added another layer of context in his official announcement: “Economic security is national security, and President Donald J. Trump is leading the way both at home and abroad for a stronger, more prosperous America.”

Scott expects “productive talks” and made it clear that rebalancing the global system is a top priority. “We are working towards rebalancing the international economic system towards better serving the interests of the United States,” he said.

Jamieson’s office also confirmed his direct meeting with a Chinese trade official in Geneva.

“At President Trump’s direction, I am negotiating with countries to rebalance our trade relations to achieve reciprocity, open new markets, and protect America’s economic and national security,” Jamieson said in a prepared statement.

Jamieson plans to use part of the trip to meet with his US team based in Geneva and said he looked forward to “productive meetings with some of my counterparts as well as visiting with my team in Geneva who all work diligently to advance US interests on a range of multilateral issues.”

Trump dismisses pressure, says China needs a deal more

Earlier that same Tuesday, Trump told reporters at the White House that China had reached out to restart dialogue. “They want to negotiate and they want to have a meeting and we’ll be meeting with them at the right time,” he said during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Trump also showed frustration with critics asking for immediate outcomes.

“Everyone says, ‘When, when, when are you going to sign deals?’” he said. “We don’t have to sign deals, they have to sign deals with us. They want a piece of our market. We don’t want a piece of their market.”

The mood across Washington has been tense as the administration continues navigating pushback from allies and industries hit by rising costs. Still, Trump officials have been firm about their approach. The president’s latest trade push comes as the US negotiates with 17 other trading partners, but not China.

Scott made that clear in remarks before a House appropriations subcommittee, saying: “China, we have not engaged in negotiations with as of yet.” That line summed up how frozen talks had been until this week. The weekend meetings in Switzerland may not end the fight, but they signal both sides are now talking.

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