U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Thursday that trade negotiations between the United States and China have stalled and may require direct involvement from Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping to move forward.
Earlier in May, the two sides had agreed to a 90-day truce that reduced tariffs — the U.S. cut duties from 145% to 30%, and China lowered its tariffs from 125% to 10%. However, Bessent stated that talks have since progressed slowly and key disagreements remain unresolved.
“Given the scope and complexity of the issues at hand, it’s necessary for both leaders to step in personally,” Bessent said during a press briefing.
He added that despite the legal challenges surrounding tariffs, other U.S. trade partners such as Japan and the European Union are continuing negotiations in good faith.
Meanwhile, legal battles over trade policy are still ongoing. After a lower court ruled that Trump had exceeded his authority in imposing tariffs, a federal appeals court temporarily reinstated them pending further review.
New rounds of negotiations are expected in the coming weeks, but without direct input from Trump and Xi, a breakthrough remains unlikely.
