China’s Vice Premier to Hold US Talks in France

China announced on Friday that Vice Premier He Lifeng will travel to France on Saturday for economic and trade discussions with US officials.

According to a statement from China’s commerce ministry, He will lead a delegation to France from March 14 to 17 to hold consultations with the United States on economic and trade matters of mutual concern.

“As agreed by China and the United States, (Vice Premier) He Lifeng will lead a delegation to France from March 14 to 17 to hold economic and trade consultations with the US side.” 

The Paris talks between the world’s two largest economies were earlier confirmed by Washington, which said US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent would head the American delegation. He is expected to be joined by US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

Bessent said in a statement on Thursday that economic dialogue between both countries was progressing. The meeting is widely seen as part of preparations for a planned summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month.

Washington has indicated that Trump is expected to visit China from March 31 to April 2, although Beijing has not yet confirmed the dates.

Economic relations between China and the United States have remained tense since Trump began his second term in January 2025.

Earlier this week, Greer announced new trade investigations into what he described as excess industrial capacity, a move that targets China and several other trading partners.

China’s commerce ministry criticised the investigations, describing them as a unilateral action that undermines the international economic and trade order, while urging Washington to reverse what it called its “erroneous practices.”