Top Trump officials to meet with Chinese counterparts amid trade war

WASHINGTON AP Top U S personnel are set to meet with a high-level Chinese delegation this weekend in Switzerland the administration broadcasted Tuesday in the first major talks between the two nations since President Donald Trump sparked a commerce war with stiff tariffs on imports Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and agreement representative Jamieson Greer will meet with their counterparts in Geneva in the most-senior known conversations between the two countries in months It comes amid growing U S region worry over the impact of the tariffs on the prices and supply of consumer goods Trump had claimed previously that the U S and China were holding negotiations on lowering tariffs which Beijing has denied saying Trump must first lower his stiff tariffs Bessent earlier Tuesday testified to a House committee that the U S and China have not engaged in negotiations but as early as this week the U S will be announcing commerce deals with specific of the U S largest trading partners The Chinese Commerce Ministry on Tuesday validated the meeting between the vice premier and Bessent in Switzerland The Chinese side rigorously evaluated the information from the U S side and decided to agree to have contact with the U S side after fully considering global expectations Chinese interests and calls from U S businesses and consumers reported a ministry spokesperson Bessent and Greer also plan to meet with Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter according to readouts from their respective offices Both Greer and Bessent have had communications with their counterparts prior to the start of the transaction war Greer advised Fox News Channel last month that he spoke with his Chinese counterpart for over an hour before the transaction war started I thought it was constructive he declared adding this is not a plan just to encircle China It s a plan to fix the American commercial sector to have a greater share of manufacturing as GDP to have real wages go up to be producing things instead of having an financial sector that s financed by the regime And Bessent in February spoke with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng to exchange views on the bilateral economic relationship according to a Treasury news release