China trade talks hit roadblock, says US treasury secretary

Trade talks between the United States and China have hit a roadblock, according to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Speaking to Fox News on Friday, May 30, 2025, Bessent described the talks as “a bit stalled,” highlighting the complexity and scale of the discussions.

His remarks come shortly after a temporary trade truce was reached between the two countries.

Both countries had agreed to ease retaliatory tariffs to de-escalate tensions.

The temporary agreement, made earlier this month during discussions in Switzerland, resulted in both the U.S. and China rolling back some of the tariffs they had imposed on each other.

The deal involved canceling certain tariffs entirely and suspending others for a 90-day period ending on May 14.

As part of the agreement, the U.S. reduced tariffs on Chinese imports from 145% to 30%.

China on its part, lowered its tariffs on U.S. goods from 125% to 10%.

Despite the initial progress, Bessent acknowledged that the momentum has slowed.

However, he emphasized that negotiations are ongoing.

He also expressed hope that high-level engagement between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping might help revitalize the process.

Bessent suggested that a call between the two leaders could happen in the coming weeks and noted that their relationship remains strong.

He added that he was confident China would re-engage in talks once President Biden makes his expectations clear.

The broader context for the trade talks includes legal challenges to former President Donald Trump’s tariff policies.

A U.S. court recently ruled that Trump had exceeded his authority by imposing certain tariffs.

This has reportedly raised concerns about the future of the U.S. trade strategy.

Though the ruling posed a setback, the White House successfully appealed, leading to a temporary reinstatement of the tariffs.

Trump responded to the decision via his social media platform Truth Social, calling the lower court’s ruling “horrific.”

He also expressed hope that the Supreme Court would overturn it quickly.

Trump’s tariff policy, implemented during his presidency, aimed to reduce trade deficits.

It also aimed to promote domestic manufacturing by discouraging imports.

These tariffs were also used as a negotiation tool in trade talks with various countries.

However, the recent court decision has cast doubt on the legality of this approach.

Some analysts as well, believe it may deter other nations from entering into trade agreements with the U.S. in the near term.

Meanwhile, trade discussions are ongoing with other countries.

A Japanese delegation is currently in Washington to continue negotiations with U.S. officials.

Bessent indicated that while some U.S. trade deals are nearing finalization, others are more complex and will require additional work to resolve.

In summary, while the U.S.-China trade talks have hit a temporary slowdown.

However, sources close to the Whie House say the door remains open for further engagement.

The recent reduction in tariffs represents a tentative step toward easing economic tensions, though significant challenges remain.

The legal uncertainty surrounding Trump-era tariffs further complicates the U.S. trade landscape.

Experts say they are potentially impacting the country’s leverage and credibility in ongoing and future negotiations.

Bessent remains cautiously optimistic that dialogue will resume at a higher level.

Also, he believes that progress is still possible, particularly if leadership from both nations gets more directly involved.

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