The United States and China wrapped up the first day of high-level trade talks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
According to Reuters and others on the 25th, a U.S. Treasury Spokesperson said it was conducted in a very constructive atmosphere and noted that talks are expected to resume on the morning of the 26th.
In the morning, Vice Premier He Lifeng and Li Chenggang, China's international trade representative and vice minister of commerce, arrived together as the Chinese delegation. After the talks, Vice Premier He smiled and waved to reporters but made no further remarks.
On the U.S. side, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was reported to be leading the negotiating team, but there were no reports that Bessent appeared at the venue that day. Bessent previously said, The Malaysia talks will be an opportunity to lay the groundwork for the Busan summit, where the two leaders will meet directly.
The talks were seen as likely to have focused on extending the "tariff truce," which expires on Nov. 10. It is also highly likely the two sides continued discussions on pending issues such as the recently rekindled dispute over port entry fees, China's export controls on rare earths, and the United States' threat of "100% additional tariffs."
Since the launch of the second Trump administration, U.S.-China relations have returned to a tense phase. The two countries earlier agreed to a "tariff truce" after a dispute over high tariffs, but tensions are reigniting over trade imbalances and implementation of the "phase one trade deal."
Meanwhile, in Kuala Lumpur, where the talks were held, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit opens on the 26th. President Lee Jae-myung, U.S. President Donald Trump, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, among other leaders, are expected to gather in one place.