The first day of trade talks between the United States and China in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday were “constructive” and were expected to resume the following morning, a U.S. Treasury official said.
The world’s two largest economies are looking to avert an escalation of their trade war and ensure that a meeting happens next week between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“Today’s talks have concluded. They have been very constructive, and we expect them to resume in the morning,” a Treasury spokesperson said.
The talks on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit will chart a path forward after Trump threatened new 100% tariffs on Chinese goods and other trade curbs starting on November 1, in retaliation for China’s vastly expanded export controls on rare earth magnets and minerals.
The recent actions, which also include an expanded U.S. export blacklist that covers thousands more Chinese firms, have disrupted a delicate trade truce crafted by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng over four previous meetings since May.
He Lifeng, on the other hand, smiled and waved to reporters but did not comment as the Chinese delegation left the venue for the talks.
China’s top trade negotiator Li Chenggang is also participating in the talks. A Reuters witness saw Li arriving alongside He earlier in the day.
