First Round of U.S.-China Trade Talks Concludes, Set to Resume Sunday

The first high-level trade talks between U.S. and Chinese economic officials since last month’s tariff escalation concluded Saturday evening in Geneva, with both sides agreeing to continue negotiations on Sunday.

While neither Washington nor Beijing have released substantive details from the initial session, U.S. President Donald Trump took to Truth Social Saturday night, declaring the talks were progressing well. Trump also reiterated his long-standing demand for China to further open its economy to American businesses and claimed that a “total reset” had been negotiated—though he offered no supporting information.

The Geneva meetings follow a sharp escalation in the U.S.-China trade war that began on April 2, dubbed “Liberation Day” by Trump, when he imposed sweeping reciprocal tariffs on a wide range of countries. China responded in kind, matching each round of tariffs until duties reached 145% on Chinese goods and 125% on U.S. products.

The tit-for-tat tariffs are widely believed to have contributed to the latest U.S. economic downturn. Last month, data revealed that the American economy contracted by 0.3% in the first quarter, prompting criticism of Trump’s economic policy.

Uncertainty had surrounded the lead-up to the talks, with Trump repeatedly claiming negotiations were underway while Beijing denied such claims—until this week, when China finally confirmed that talks would take place, emphasizing that the U.S. initiated the request.

The U.S. delegation is being led by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, while Vice Premier He Lifeng is heading the Chinese side. Notably absent from the talks is Peter Navarro, Trump’s trade adviser and a vocal China hawk.

Chinese imports to the U.S. have plummeted since the tariff escalation, and Beijing has imposed a ban on the export of rare earth minerals vital to several key American industries. Trump has recently signaled a willingness to consider lowering tariffs, though Beijing has taken a firm stance, demanding the removal of all tariffs imposed after April 2 before making any concessions.

Prior to the current wave of tariffs, the U.S. had already levied a 20% tariff on Chinese imports in March, citing Beijing’s alleged role in fueling the fentanyl crisis in the United States.

Global observers are closely watching the outcome of the talks, given the potential fallout from a prolonged or total breakdown in trade between the world’s two largest economies. Some analysts have warned that a full severing of U.S.-China economic ties could trigger severe economic repercussions for both nations—particularly for the United States.