In a post on Truth Social, the US president wrote, “A very good meeting today with China, in Switzerland. Many things discussed, much agreed to. A total reset negotiated in a friendly, but constructive, manner. We want to see, for the good of both China and the U.S., an opening up of China to American business. Great progress made!!!”
The discussions, aimed at easing soaring trade tensions, took place at the Villa Saladin overlooking Lake Geneva and lasted over 10 hours.
The US delegation was led by treasury secretary Scott Bessent and trade representative Jamieson Greer, while Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng represented Beijing. The two sides are expected to resume talks on Sunday.
As per AP, the negotiations are being held under tight secrecy, with no public statements from either side. Several black vehicles were seen leaving the residence of the Swiss ambassador to the UN after the talks concluded.
These are the first official negotiations since Trump raised US tariffs on Chinese goods to a combined 145% last month, prompting Beijing to respond with 125% levies on American imports. The sharp tariff hikes have effectively crippled trade between the two nations and stirred fears of a global economic downturn.
According to The New York Times, expectations for a breakthrough remain modest, though the willingness to resume dialogue after weeks of silence is seen as a positive development. “The best scenario is for the two sides to agree to de-escalate on the … tariffs at the same time,” said Sun Yun of the Stimson Center, noting that even a small reduction could signal progress.
Trump has repeatedly defended his tariff strategy, calling them a tool to protect US interests and reduce America’s trade deficit with China, which reached $263 billion last year. However, he hinted Friday that he might lower duties, saying in another Truth Social post that an “80% Tariff seems right! Up to Scott.”
Beyond trade imbalance, Trump has also used tariffs to pressure China over other issues. The 20% portion of the levies is linked to a demand for stricter action by Beijing on fentanyl trafficking. The broader trade war also stems from longstanding US concerns about Chinese industrial policies and alleged intellectual property theft.
Talks with China were not the only focus in Switzerland. Bessent and Greer also met with Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter. While Trump had threatened a 31% tariff on Swiss goods, he temporarily reduced them to 10%, with the possibility of reinstating the higher rate. The Swiss government, as quoted by AP, has warned that escalating trade tensions would hurt key sectors like watches and chocolate but has ruled out retaliatory measures for now.
