Trump announces U.S.-China trade talks in London next week

President Donald Trump announced that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and two other Trump administration officials will hold trade discussions with Chinese officials in London on Monday. Bessent is leading the administration’s efforts to negotiate a deal with Beijing, and will be accompanied by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Trump expressed optimism about the upcoming meeting, stating on Truth Social that he expects it to be productive. The Chinese Embassy in Washington has been contacted for further details on Trump’s announcement, but has not responded yet. This meeting follows a phone call between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, during which they discussed the ongoing trade war that has strained the economic relationship between the two countries. Despite recent progress in bilateral trade talks, disagreements have arisen over issues such as tariffs and visa policies. Both sides have accused each other of hindering the trade negotiations, with China criticizing the U.S. Commerce Department’s warnings to the chip industry and the U.S. government revoking visas for Chinese students. Trump has also called out Beijing for delays in fulfilling promises made during previous trade talks. The president emphasized the importance of rare earth minerals in a post-call statement, without elaborating on his remarks.