An American flag is flown next to the Chinese national emblem during a welcome ceremony for visiting U.S. President Donald Trump outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. AP
Top economic officials from the United States and China are set to convene in Paris, the Treasury Department has said, ahead of President Donald Trump's planned meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in April.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is set to meet Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in France between March 15 and 16, the department said.
"Thanks to the bonds of mutual respect between President Trump and President Xi, the trade and economic dialogue between the United States and China is moving forward," Bessent added in a statement.
The gathering of Bessent and He is widely expected to set the stage for Trump's visit to Beijing, where he is due to meet Xi.
Washington has announced that Trump will visit China from March 31 to April 2, though Beijing has yet to confirm those dates, in line with its usual practice.
The talks come after a turbulent year in U.S.-China economic ties since Trump returned to the presidency.
Washington and Beijing engaged in an escalating tariffs war in April last year as China pushed back against Trump's sweeping duties against trading partners.
This brought their tariffs on each other's exports to triple-digit levels, forcing trade to a halt before both sides eventually reached a truce.
