US-China trade talks: what to expect as senior officials meet in Paris
Both sides have short-term incentives to maintain their ‘trade truce’ so they can focus on dealing with domestic issues, analysts say
Trade talks between China and the United States in Paris this weekend are likely to focus on setting the scene for the Beijing summit between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump later this month, analysts said, downplaying the prospects of any significant breakthroughs.
Bessent will be in Paris from March 15 to 16, while He will be in the city from March 14 to 17, according to official announcements.
The Communist Party’s mouthpiece, People’s Daily, published a commentary on Friday urging a good start for the trade interactions between China and the US this year at the Paris talks.
Written under the “Zhong Sheng” pen name often used to voice Beijing’s position on global affairs, the article said that China’s development and revitalisation can “go hand in hand with America’s quest to ‘make it great again.’”
Analysts said both sides had a short-term interest in maintaining the current trade truce, with Beijing needing a stable international economic environment as it tackles issues at home and Washington focusing on November’s midterm elections.
“China wants to make sure tariffs don’t go up again and Trump wants to achieve some kind of G2 deal with China’s Xi this year before the midterm elections,” said Philippe Le Corre, a senior fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Centre for China Analysis in Paris.
In a statement on Thursday, Bessent said discussions with China on trade and economic issues were advancing “thanks to the bonds of mutual respect between President Trump and President Xi”.
“Under the guidance of President Trump, our team will continue to deliver results that put America’s farmers, workers and businesses first,” he said.