American and Chinese officials have reached a breakthrough in trade discussions after two days of high-level negotiations, according to senior government representatives. The talks are being held in Geneva, Switzerland; however, no concrete details of the agreement were released.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement from the White House that significant headway had been achieved in the effort to resolve the ongoing trade conflict initiated by President Trump: “First and foremost, I want to extend my gratitude to our Swiss hosts. The Swiss government graciously provided us with an excellent venue, which undoubtedly contributed to the level of productivity we’ve witnessed. We’ll be sharing more specifics tomorrow, but I can confirm the discussions have been fruitful.”
Jamieson Greer, the U.S. Trade Representative, echoed Bessent’s sentiments, stating that after just two “very productive days,” both parties managed to reach an agreement. “These negotiations were built on extensive groundwork,” Greer explained. “We’re optimistic that this deal will be a crucial step in addressing what we view as a national emergency.”
After the first day of meetings on Saturday, President Trump shared his thoughts on his Truth Social platform, saying, “Had an excellent meeting today with Chinese officials in Switzerland. Covered many topics, reached several agreements. Negotiations were friendly but focused on real progress—a complete reset in the relationship. For the benefit of both nations, we aim to open up China further to American businesses. Tremendous progress made!!!”
The trade war between the U.S. and China reignited earlier this year when Trump imposed a 10% tariff on Chinese goods, citing concerns over national security and the fentanyl crisis impacting America. By April, the U.S. had raised tariffs on Chinese imports to a staggering 145%. In retaliation, Beijing slapped 125% tariffs on American exports.
China’s state-run news agency, Xinhua, published an opinion piece on Sunday, acknowledging the importance of the high-level talks while reaffirming China’s commitment to protecting its economic interests: “In this situation, it is meaningful for both sides to engage in direct discussions, which are essential to bridge differences and prevent further conflict,” wrote Fan Yu for Xinhua.“However, the success of these talks depends on genuine effort and sincerity from both parties, especially whether the U.S. can approach negotiations with rationality and practicality. China maintains that any meaningful dialogue must be grounded in mutual respect, fairness, and shared benefits.”
In another editorial published Saturday, edited by Zhao Yang, Xinhua criticized the Trump administration for initiating the trade dispute “without adequate planning or thoughtful consideration.” The piece argued that a complete economic decoupling between the U.S. and China would ultimately harm the American economy, referencing analysis from Oxford Economics.
China’s Ministry of Commerce has been working to deepen trade ties with Switzerland—an effort mirrored by U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent. Switzerland’s prominent role in global finance and trade positions it as a key player in helping both nations diversify economic partnerships and lessen the fallout from U.S.-China tensions. Bessent shared on social media: “We had very productive discussions yesterday alongside Ambassador Greer with Swiss President Keller Sutter and Vice President Parmelin. I’m pleased that we’ve agreed to fast-track trade negotiations, and we anticipate that a formal Swiss proposal will be presented to Ambassador Greer by next week.”
Editorial credit: Maxim Elramsisy / Shutterstock.com
