US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will meet with China’s top economic official later this week in Switzerland, both officials’ departments announced on Tuesday, signalling a starting point for negotiations over a tariff onslaught that US President Donald Trump has directed at Beijing, among other major trading partners.
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The office of the US Trade Representative and the Treasury Department said Greer and Bessent would travel together to Geneva on Thursday and would also meet with Swiss President Karin Ketter-Sutter to discuss negotiations over reciprocal trade.
The statements did not name the Chinese officials who would be attending the meeting from Beijing, but the delegation would likely include Vice-Premier He Lifeng, who serves as the country’s chief trade negotiator.
“At President Trump’s direction, I am negotiating with countries to rebalance our trade relations to achieve reciprocity, open new markets, and protect America’s economic and national security,” Greer’s office said. “I look forward to having productive meetings with some of my counterparts as well as visiting with my team in Geneva who all work diligently to advance US interests on a range of multilateral issues.
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“While in Switzerland, Ambassador Greer will also meet with his counterpart from the People’s Republic of China to discuss trade matters,” it added.
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