Top Trump officials to meet with Chinese counterparts amid trade war

WASHINGTON AP Top U S authorities are set to meet with a high-level Chinese delegation this weekend in Switzerland the administration reported Tuesday in the first major talks between the two nations since President Donald Trump sparked a bargain war with stiff tariffs on imports Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and agreement representative Jamieson Greer will meet with their counterparts in Geneva in the most-senior known conversations between the two countries in months It comes amid growing U S territory worry over the impact of the tariffs on the prices and supply of consumer goods Trump had claimed previously that the U S and China were holding negotiations on lowering tariffs which Beijing has denied saying Trump must first lower his stiff tariffs Bessent earlier Tuesday testified to a House committee that the U S and China have not engaged in negotiations but as early as this week the U S will be announcing business deals with chosen of the U S largest trading partners The Chinese Commerce Ministry on Tuesday validated the meeting between the vice premier and Bessent in Switzerland The Chinese side rigorously evaluated the information from the U S side and decided to agree to have contact with the U S side after fully considering global expectations Chinese interests and calls from U S businesses and consumers revealed a ministry spokesperson Bessent and Greer also plan to meet with Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter according to readouts from their respective offices Both Greer and Bessent have had communications with their counterparts prior to the start of the business war Greer notified Fox News Channel last month that he spoke with his Chinese counterpart for over an hour before the arrangement war started I thought it was constructive he mentioned adding this is not a plan just to encircle China It s a plan to fix the American market system to have a greater share of manufacturing as GDP to have real wages go up to be producing things instead of having an market system that s financed by the cabinet And Bessent in February spoke with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng to exchange views on the bilateral economic relationship according to a Treasury news release