Trending Now - Bessent to Meet Chinese Officials Ahead of Trump’s Beijing Visit

WHO:

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng

President Donald Trump

Chinese President Xi Jinping

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi

Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State

WHAT:

Bessent will meet He in Paris for trade talks on March 12th and 13th, 2026.

The trade talks are preparatory for Trump’s state visit to Beijing starting on March 31st, 2026.

China’s commerce ministry confirmed the talks and stated they will discuss “trade and economic issues of mutual concern.”

The U.S. opened a trade investigation into 16 trading partners, including China, which could lead to new tariffs.

China criticized the U.S. investigation as a "pretext for political manipulation."

China approved a Five-Year Plan focused on technological self-reliance and industrial manufacturing.

Rubio is expected to visit China with Trump later in March 2026.

WHERE:

Paris, France (location of the trade talks)

Beijing, China (location of Trump’s state visit)

South Korean city of Busan (previous meeting location)

WHEN:

Trade talks in Paris on March 12th and 13th, 2026.

Trump’s state visit to Beijing starting on March 31st, 2026.

The U.S. investigation was announced on March 10th, 2026.

The Supreme Court ruling that struck down tariffs occurred in February 2026.

Rubio's visit is expected later in March 2026.

WHY:

The trade talks aim to stabilize relations between the U.S. and China, the world's two largest economies.

The U.S. investigation into trade practices is a response to perceived excess capacity and production in manufacturing sectors.

HOW:

Bessent and He have led trade negotiations since 2025, meeting in various cities including Geneva, London, Stockholm, Madrid, and Kuala Lumpur.

The Five-Year Plan includes policies for increasing R&D spending by over 7% annually and aims to strengthen China's competitive advantages in technology and manufacturing.

(UPDATED March 13, 2026 13:19 UTC)

In a significant development, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng are meeting in Paris today and tomorrow for trade talks, which are preparatory for President Trump's upcoming state visit to Beijing at the end of the month. These discussions come amid a backdrop of heightened tensions, as the U.S. recently launched a trade investigation into 16 partners, including China, prompting criticism from Beijing, which labeled the investigation a "pretext for political manipulation." As part of their ongoing negotiations, Bessent and He aim to stabilize relations between the world's two largest economies, with China also focusing on a Five-Year Plan to enhance its technological self-reliance and manufacturing capabilities.