Officials in China welcomed the U.S. Court of International Trade's blocking most of Trump's sweeping tariffs on Wednesday, which a federal appeals court temporarily stayed a day later. What they're saying: "I would say that they are a bit stalled," Bessent said of the negotiation situation on Fox News. "I believe that we will be having more talks with them in the next few weeks." Bessent told Fox News' Bret Baier the U.S. and Chinese leaders may, at some point, have to hold a call. "Given the magnitude of the talks, given the complexity ... this is going to require both leaders to weigh in with each other," he added. "They have a very good relationship. And I am confident that the Chinese will come to the table when President Trump makes his preferences known."
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday that talks with China over trade are somewhat in limbo amid U.S. trade tensions with the country. “I would say that they are a bit stalled,” Bessent told Fox News’s Bret Baier of U.S.-China trade talks. “I believe that we will be having more talks with them in the next few weeks, and I believe we may, at some point, have a call between the president and [Communist] Party Chair Xi [Jinping].” On Wednesday, a federal court ruled that an emergency law did not give President Trump unilateral authority to impose tariffs on close to every country. The ruling blocked the president’s April “Liberation Day” tariffs and earlier orders putting tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China.
Bessent was adamant that a conversation between Trump and Xi would be necessary before any trade deal is agreed to. “I think that, given the magnitude of the talks, given the complexity – this is going to require both leaders to weigh in with each other,” the former hedge fund manager said. “They have a very good relationship, and I am confident that the Chinese will come to the table when President Trump makes his preferences known,” Bessent added. The White House did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment. The US and China agreed to a 90-day pause in their raging trade war earlier this month after high-level talks in Switzerland, which included Bessent.