China, U.S. Signal New Trade Talks Ahead of Possible April Summit

China and the United States may open a new round of trade negotiations ahead of a possible leaders' meeting in April, following recent signals from both sides during the World Economic Forum in Davos and subsequent official briefings in Beijing.

U.S. Trade Representative Greer said on the sidelines of the Davos forum that Washington and Beijing could resume trade talks before a potential China–U.S. leaders' meeting expected as early as April. Responding to the remarks at a regular press briefing on January 29, Ministry of Commerce spokesperson He Yongqian said China is willing to work with the United States to uphold and implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, make full use of the China–U.S. economic and trade consultation mechanism, manage differences, advance cooperation, and promote the stable, healthy, and sustainable development of bilateral economic and trade relations.

At a press conference last week, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said there was 'no information to provide at the moment' when asked about a potential visit to China by the U.S. president. He stressed, however, that the stable development of China–U.S. relations serves the common interests of the two peoples and meets the shared expectations of the international community, noting that head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable guiding role in bilateral ties.

According to Xinhua News Agency, He Lifeng, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and vice premier of the State Council, held a meeting under the China–U.S. economic and trade consultation mechanism with U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting. Bloomberg reported that ahead of this informal discussion, the two officials had met in Geneva in May last year, which initiated a series of negotiations. Subsequent rounds of talks were held in London, Stockholm, Madrid, and Kuala Lumpur, eventually leading to a trade 'truce' agreement. Greer told reporters on January 20 that the next round of discussions may avoid some highly sensitive issues.

He Yongqian said that in 2025, under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China and the United States have conducted five rounds of economic and trade consultations in the spirit of equality, respect, and mutual benefit, achieving a series of positive outcomes. These results, he said, demonstrate that the two sides can find ways to resolve economic and trade differences through equal dialogue and consultation. Following the leaders' meeting in Busan, both sides have maintained communication at various levels through the consultation mechanism to jointly advance the implementation of key consensus reached by the leaders and the outcomes of the Kuala Lumpur trade talks.

Zhou Mi, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation under the Ministry of Commerce, told the Global Times on January 29 that some differences and frictions in China–U.S. economic and trade relations remain unresolved. These include issues such as tariffs related to fentanyl, export controls on high-tech products, and restrictions on investment in China. He noted that U.S. concerns may also involve agricultural exports to China, such as soybeans, underscoring the need for further consultations.

Zhou added that face-to-face talks could help eliminate uncertainties in bilateral economic and trade relations and further advance cooperation. However, he emphasized that negotiations must be conducted on the basis of mutual respect, with the goal of achieving mutual benefit and working in the same direction to promote stable, healthy, and sustainable development of China–U.S. economic and trade ties.