Top US, Chinese Officials Pledge Cooperation on Trade Deal
Scott Bessent, Jamieson Greer Hold Video Call With China's Vice Premier
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Senior U.S. and Chinese officials spoke about maintaining cooperation on trade, the latest sign of warming relations between the world’s two largest economies.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer held a video call with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on Dec. 5, according to China’s state-run news agency Xinhua. The officials had an “in-depth and constructive” discussion in which they vowed to keep stable ties and address “respective concerns” on trade and the economy, the outlet reported.
Both sides offered positive assessments of the agreement Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping struck in October and said they would continue to consult each other on narrowing the list of differences, according to Xinhua.
The officials “discussed the ongoing implementation” of the deal, “which is going well,” Bessent posted on X. “I also reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to continued engagement with China.”
During today’s constructive call with Vice Premier He Lifeng, Greer and I discussed the ongoing implementation of the Busan arrangement between President Trump and President Xi, which is going well. I also reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to continued… — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent)
The White House and Office of the US Trade Representative did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
President Donald Trump’s advisers have repeatedly signaled they are prioritizing a steady relationship with China after tensions erupted earlier this year into a full-blown trade war that rocked global markets. That’s despite pressure from some Trump allies to take more coordinated action against Beijing on economic policy and national security.
“I don’t think anyone wants to have a full-on economic conflict with China and we’re not having that,” GreersaidDec. 4 at an event in Washington. “A lot of allies are interested in taking coordinated action, but the decision right now is we want to have stability in this relationship.”
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The deal between Trump and Xi extended a tariff truce for one year, rolled back export controls and lowered other trade barriers. Still, key elements of the pact — including expanded soybean purchases by China, approving licenses for shipments of rare earths and the sale of the U.S. operations of the popular TikTok app — remain works in progress.
The Dec. 5 call comes a week after Trump and Xispokeby phone, as escalating tensions between the leaders of China and Japan over the self-governing island of Taiwan threatened to upset the trade truce. Trump later called Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to brief her on the conversation.
