London Beckons: US-China Trade Officials to Meet Next Week

Donald Trump announced Friday that senior US administration officials and a Chinese delegation are set to meet on Monday in London for the next phase of trade negotiations. This crucial meeting follows a “very positive” phone call between Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping on Thursday, as both nations strive to break the impasse over tariffs and the supply of rare earth minerals.
The US contingent will be led by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Trump conveyed his confidence in the talks via social media, stating that “The meeting should go very well,” suggesting a positive trajectory for the discussions.
The Chinese foreign ministry confirmed that President Trump initiated the extensive, approximately hour-and-a-half long conversation with President Xi. During their call, President Xi called on Trump to “remove the negative measures” that the US has implemented against China, signaling Beijing’s primary concern.
Notably, the ministry also revealed that Trump expressed during the call that “the US loves to have Chinese students coming to study in America,” a sentiment that appears to contradict his administration’s recent threats to revoke some of their visas. This illustrates the complex diplomatic dance between the two economic giants.