US-China Trade Talks 'A Bit Stalled,' Says American Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said that trade negotiations between the United States and China are currently “a bit stalled,” raising the possibility that President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping may need to speak directly to resolve outstanding issues.

Bessent, who played a key role in brokering the recent U.S.-China deal, told Fox News that further talks are expected in the coming weeks but emphasized the complexity of the discussions. “Given the magnitude of the talks, given the complexity ... this is going to require both leaders to weigh in with each other,” he said.

He added that Trump and Xi have “a very good relationship” and expressed confidence that the Chinese side “will come to the table when President Trump makes his preferences known.”

Here is what you need to know

The comments come after a 90-day agreement was announced earlier this month following a summit in Switzerland, where the two economic giants agreed to reduce tariffs in an effort to ease tensions in the ongoing trade war. The pact lowered U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods from around 145% to 30%, aiming to shift from an almost full trade embargo to a more manageable tariff system.

However, on Friday, President Trump escalated tensions by accusing China of violating the deal just weeks after it was signed. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Because of this deal, everything quickly stabilized and China got back to business as usual. Everybody was happy! That is the good news!!!”

He went on to say: “The bad news is that China, perhaps not surprisingly to some, HAS TOTALLY VIOLATED ITS AGREEMENT WITH US. So much for being Mr. NICE GUY!”

Uncertainty ahead 

Meanwhile, China welcomed a recent ruling by the U.S. Court of International Trade that blocked most of Trump’s sweeping tariffs—a decision the U.S. Court of Appeals later temporarily stayed. This legal back-and-forth adds further uncertainty to the already fragile negotiations.

As the trade talks continue, all eyes are on whether direct communication between Trump and Xi can help bridge the gaps and stabilize the economic relationship between the world’s two largest economies.