Trade conflict
The USA and China are planning first talks to tariffs in Geneva
The high US tariffs on imports on China and the Chinese counter-duties put a strain on the trade. There are now first talks to solve the conflict on a high level.
High -ranking talks in Switzerland take place for the first time in the trade conflict between China and the USA. US Finance Minister Scott Bessent and the US trade officer Jamieson Greer want to meet with representatives of the People’s Republic of China at the weekend, the respective authorities said. According to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, Vice Prime Minister He Lifeng will travel to Switzerland.
The Swiss Foreign Ministry confirmed a request from both countries to organize a meeting in Geneva. That will take place “in the next few days”. The Swiss Federal President and finance minister Karin Keller-Sutter will also meet “in the next few days” with better.
According to Beijings, the USA contacted China in order to be able to talk about the “tariffs and other questions”. For this purpose, high-ranking US officials would have given information. China has now carefully checked these US information. At the same time, the Ministry of Commerce emphasized that a dialogue could only take place on mutual respect and eye level. A solution through negotiations could only be made if the United States became aware of the effects of its customs measures and corrected its incorrect practices.
Better: first of all about de -escalation
In an interview in the Fox News news station, the US Finance Minister said that he assumed that both sides agree on what they want to talk about at the meeting. “I have the feeling that it is about a de -escalation, not about the big trade agreement, but we have to de -escalate before we can move forward.”
Meeting on Saturday and Sunday
Bessent said he had intended to travel to Europe to talk to Switzerland about trade questions. Then it turned out that the Chinese team will also be through Europe and in Switzerland. “So we will meet on Saturday and Sunday,” said Bessent. The United States and China would have a common interest in agreeing. The high current tariffs are equivalent to an embargo.
Since the escalation in the trade dispute between the two largest economies in the world in early April, US President Donald Trump has been imposed on goods imports from China. In return on imports from the USA, Beijing demands surcharges of 125 percent.
Trump had recently contradicted the question of whether there were discussions between the USA and China. At first he claimed that there was an exchange with Beijing. The Chinese foreign office denied this.
dpa
Source: Stern
