BEIJING: China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng is scheduled to depart on Saturday for France to hold economic and trade consultations with senior US officials, Beijing announced, as both countries attempt to stabilize relations ahead of a potential meeting between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump.
According to a statement issued by China’s Ministry of Commerce on Friday, He will head a delegation traveling to France from March 14 to March 17 for discussions with American counterparts. The talks are expected to address key economic and trade matters affecting the two global powers.
Officials from both sides have confirmed the upcoming consultations in Paris. The United States delegation will be led by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and will include US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
China’s commerce ministry said the discussions would focus on “economic and trade issues of mutual concern,” though it did not disclose detailed information about the agenda or the precise schedule of meetings.
Washington has described the upcoming talks as part of an ongoing effort to maintain dialogue between the two countries, according to AFP.
Bessent said earlier this week that economic engagement between the United States and China is continuing, suggesting that both sides remain open to negotiation despite persistent tensions.
The Paris consultations are widely seen as laying the groundwork for a potential high-level meeting later this month. The United States has indicated that President Donald Trump plans to visit China between March 31 and April 2.
However, Chinese authorities have not formally confirmed those dates, which is consistent with Beijing’s usual approach to announcing diplomatic visits.
Economic relations between the world’s two largest economies have remained strained since Trump began his second presidential term in January 2025. Trade disagreements, market access concerns and disputes over industrial policies have continued to test bilateral ties.
Tensions escalated further this week when the United States announced new investigations into what it described as excess industrial capacity in certain sectors. The probes are expected to focus on China as well as other major trading partners.
Beijing responded sharply to the move. China’s commerce ministry criticised the investigations, describing them as unilateral actions that could undermine the global economic and trading system.
In a separate statement released on Friday, the ministry urged Washington to reconsider the measures and warned that such steps could damage the broader international trade order.
Despite the friction, both sides appear willing to keep diplomatic and economic channels open, with the Paris meeting representing a key opportunity to address disputes and explore areas for cooperation.
