The United States announced on Thursday that these discussions would take place, a statement confirmed by China on Friday. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, accompanied by White House Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer, was set to meet with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng to address trade issues between the two largest world economies, less than three weeks before Donald Trump’s official visit to China to meet with his counterpart Xi Jinping.
What is the purpose of these discussions in Paris?
The discussions are being held at the OECD headquarters in Paris, according to Chinese state media CCTV. They are expected to focus on “mutually interesting matters,” as indicated by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce on Friday. The US embassy did not respond to requests for confirmation.
The Paris meeting, scheduled to last two days, is seen as a prelude to the US president’s state visit to China, his first in his second term. It is aimed to finalize the truce agreed upon by the two leaders in Seoul in October regarding the trade conflict between the two powers after a fierce battle with global repercussions, involving tariffs and various restrictions.
A high-stakes state visit with economic tension
The White House announced that the visit would take place from March 31 to April 2, but Beijing has not yet confirmed the dates. The stakes of the discussions are significant for the Trump administration as this is a crucial step towards reinstating tariffs, following the cancellation of a large portion of the taxes imposed in February by the Supreme Court.
