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U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Paris on Sunday for trade talks as Washington and Beijing prepare for a possible summit between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping later this month.
The talks took place at the headquarters of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.
The two-day meeting is widely viewed as preparation for Trump’s expected trip to China. Washington has said the visit is planned for March 31 to April 2, though Beijing has not yet confirmed the dates.
China’s Commerce Ministry said earlier that officials would "conduct consultations on economic and trade issues of mutual concern" during the Paris meeting, without providing details on specific agenda items.
Bessent indicated that engagement between the two sides was continuing, saying that economic dialogue between Washington and Beijing "is moving forward."
The discussions followed a period of strained economic relations between Washington and Beijing. Throughout much of 2025, the two countries engaged in a prolonged trade dispute that pushed reciprocal tariffs into triple-digit levels and raised concerns over global supply chains, particularly for critical minerals.
Tensions eased somewhat after Trump met Xi in Busan, South Korea, in October, leading to the removal of rare earth export restrictions for one year and a reduction in tariffs.
However, fresh U.S. investigations announced this week into Chinese industrial overcapacity and allegations of forced labor have introduced new uncertainty into the relationship.
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