Top U.S. and Chinese economic officials launched a new round of talks in Paris on Sunday (15 March) to resolve issues in their trade truce. The discussions aim to smooth the way for U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the end of March.
The talks, led by Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, are expected to focus on U.S. tariffs and the supply of Chinese rare earth minerals and magnets to U.S. buyers.
The meeting will take place at the Paris headquarters of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, according to a source familiar with the plans. China is not a member of the 38-nation organisation and considers itself a developing country.
U.S.-China trade analysts said that with little time to prepare and Washington's attention focused on the U.S.-Israel war with Iran, prospects for a major trade breakthrough are limited, either in Paris or at the Beijing summit.
"Both sides, I think, have a minimum goal of having a meeting, which sort of keeps things together and avoids a rupture and a re-escalation of tensions," said Scott Kennedy, a China economic expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
U.S. President Donald Trump may seek large Chinese commitments to buy Boeing aircraft as well as more U.S. liquefied natural gas and soybeans, but such concessions could require easing U.S. export controls.
Trump and Xi could potentially meet up to three other times this year, including at a China-hosted APEC summit in November and a U.S.-hosted G20 summit in December that could yield more tangible progress.
The Middle East conflict may also be discussed in Paris, particularly after rising oil prices and disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, a key route through which China receives about 45% of its oil imports.
Bessent on Thursday night (12 March) announced a 30-day waiver of sanctions to allow the sale of Russian oil stranded at sea in tankers, a move aimed at increasing supply.
China Daily urged continues U.S.- China dialogue as a “stabilising anchor” amid the uncertainty of the ongoing Middle East crisis. It said talks are the best way to address differences on strategic materials, technology, market access and agriculture.
The Paris meeting will also review commitments under the trade truce announced by Trump and Xi in Busan in October 2025.
The agreement reduced some U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports and suspended China’s strict export controls on rare earth minerals for one year.
It also paused the expansion of a U.S. blacklist restricting Chinese firms from purchasing advanced American technology, including semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
China committed to buying 12 million metric tonnes of U.S. soybeans during the 2025 marketing year and 25 million tonnes in the 2026 season. U.S. officials say Beijing has so far met those targets.
However, some American industries, particularly aerospace and semiconductor companies, still face shortages of key rare earth materials such as yttrium, used in heat-resistant jet engine coatings.
The talks are also overshadowed by a new Section 301 investigation launched by Greer and Bessent into alleged unfair trade practices and excess industrial capacity in China and 15 other trading partners, which could lead to new tariffs.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he sees progress between Israel and Lebanon after talks with Netanyahu, while Hezbollah has rejected a new ceasefire ...
Azerbaijan is once again at the centre of global climate diplomacy, hosting World Environment Day 2026 and bringing together international leaders, po...
Azerbaijan has strongly rejected allegations published by CNN claiming that its territory was used for Israeli military and intelligence operations ag...
The Eighth Global Environment Facility (GEF) Assembly has concluded in Samarkand, bringing together representatives from 186 countries to set environm...
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hosted Nigerien President Abdourahamane Tchiani in Ankara on Thursday, underscoring Türkiye’s growing engag...
U.S. President Donald Trump said he sees progress between Israel and Lebanon after talks with Netanyahu, while Hezbollah has rejected a new ceasefire proposal and Israel has ruled out a troop withdrawal.
Azerbaijan has strongly rejected allegations published by CNN claiming that its territory was used for Israeli military and intelligence operations against Iran, describing the report as entirely baseless and demanding a retraction.
The Eighth Global Environment Facility (GEF) Assembly has concluded in Samarkand, bringing together representatives from 186 countries to set environmental priorities and approve new funding for climate, biodiversity and sustainable development initiatives.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hosted Nigerien President Abdourahamane Tchiani in Ankara on Thursday, underscoring Türkiye’s growing engagement with Africa’s Sahel region as geopolitical alliances continue to shift.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said in a statement that its Aerospace Force did not strike the Kuwait Airport passenger terminal on Wednesday, and that the destruction was instead caused by a failed U.S. Patriot missile.
Five Azerbaijani citizens have been killed and three others injured following drone attacks on two cargo vessels in the Sea of Azov, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said on Friday.
Israel and Lebanon have agreed to implement a ceasefire after U.S.-backed talks in Washington. The deal requires Hezbollah to halt attacks and withdraw from southern Lebanon, while both sides will resume direct talks later this month aimed at reaching a broader agreement.
As Armenia heads toward parliamentary elections on 7 June, the country's relationship with Azerbaijan is emerging as one of the defining issues of the campaign, with analysts and international observers highlighting the role of regional politics in shaping voters’ mindsets.
Armenia will hold parliamentary elections on 7 June 2026, a vote that will shape the country’s political direction for the next five years. Understanding how the electoral system converts votes into parliamentary power is key to following the outcome and its wider regional implications.
People across Gaza are facing a worsening humanitarian crisis, with millions struggling to access food, clean water, shelter and medical care as the conflict continues.
The next time a goal goes in during a Champions League final, fans around the world could watch it from every angle at once — frozen, rotated and replayed in ways that were impossible only a few years ago.
An ageing, poorly insured shadow armada now accounts for around one-sixth of the world's tanker fleet. Hidden by design and fraught with risk, it operates beyond conventional oversight. A maritime law expert explains how it works, who profits, and why much of the world looks the other way.
Azerbaijan has strongly rejected allegations published by CNN claiming that its territory was used for Israeli military and intelligence operations against Iran, describing the report as entirely baseless and demanding a retraction.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hosted Nigerien President Abdourahamane Tchiani in Ankara on Thursday, underscoring Türkiye’s growing engagement with Africa’s Sahel region as geopolitical alliances continue to shift.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment