Top trade officials from the United States are convening with their Chinese counterparts in London on Monday to address ongoing trade tensions between the two largest economies in the world.
The U.S. delegation includes Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
According to a statement made by China’s foreign ministry on Saturday, Vice Premier He Lifeng, who is spearheading the trade negotiations for Beijing, will be in the UK from June 8 to June 13 for discussions under the “China-U.S. economic and trade consultation mechanism.”
This dialogue follows President Trump’s recent disclosure of a lengthy telephone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping, as both nations seek to prevent a full-scale trade war.
Efforts to stabilize relations have intensified following weeks of escalating trade tensions. In April, Trump announced extensive import tariffs affecting China and other trade partners, prompting retaliatory measures from Beijing.
The situation led to a back-and-forth increase in tariffs until both nations reached a temporary agreement in Geneva in May. As part of this agreement, the U.S. reduced its tariff on Chinese imports from 145% to 30%, while China lowered its tariffs on U.S. goods from 125% to 10%.
However, both countries have since accused one another of breaching the Geneva terms. The U.S. claimed that China was slow to approve the export of essential mineral resources, while China criticized the U.S. for imposing new restrictions on Chinese student visas and additional controls on semiconductor exports.
U.S. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated on Sunday that the discussions in London will primarily focus on advancing the Geneva agreement and recognizing the strategic interests that both countries have in each other’s markets.
