US and Chinese officials to resume talks to ease trade war on Sunday

Reuters ^ | 2:49 PM CDT May 10, 2025 | John Revill, Emma Farge

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Summary

• Talks in Geneva aim to defuse trade war disrupting global economy
• Low expectations for major breakthrough amid US-China distrust
• Discussions wrap up on Saturday evening, to continue on Sunday
• China determined to defend international fairness, Xinhua says

GENEVA, May 10 (Reuters) - Top U.S. and Chinese officials wrapped up the first day of talks in Switzerland on Saturday aimed at defusing a trade war that threatens to hammer the global economy and planned to resume negotiations on Sunday, a source close to the discussions said.

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met for about eight hours with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Geneva in their first face-to-face meeting since the world's two largest economies heaped tariffs well above 100% on each other's goods.

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Neither side made any statements about the substance of the discussions nor signaled any progress towards reducing crushing tariffs as meetings at the residence of Switzerland's ambassador to the U.N. concluded at about 8 p.m. local time. (1800 GMT)

Bessent, Greer and He were meeting in Geneva after weeks of growing tensions prompted by U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff blitz starting in February and retaliation from Beijing that has brought nearly $600 billion in annual bilateral trade to a virtual standstill.

The trade dispute, combined with Trump's decision last month to impose duties on dozens of other countries, has disrupted supply chains, unsettled financial markets and stoked fears of a sharp global downturn.

Undisclosed Location

The location of the talks in the Swiss diplomatic hub was never made public. However, witnesses saw both delegations returning after a lunch break to the gated U.N. ambassador's villa, which has its own private park overlooking Lake Genev...

[Red6]

Eventually a deal will be made. No one really wants this. But unless Trump blows the issue up, nothing significant is going to change. It would have been business as usual, as in the last 40 years. Some small change (eye candy) for the media.

Sadly many in US corporate America support the status quo, since they benefit from it, even if it hurts the rest of us.

[minnesota_bound]

When it’s dinner time do they all order Chinese?....🐉👲😁