China's Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday that the United States initiated an upcoming trade discussion between US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese officials in Switzerland.
According to Chinese officials, the Trump administration reached out to propose the meeting. However, former President Donald Trump disputed this claim, challenging China's characterization of the talks.
According to CNBC, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian emphasized the country's firm stance, stating that China is opposed to US tariff hikes.
"To pressure or coerce China in whatever way simply does not work," Lin wrote on X, adding that China is committed to safeguarding its interests and international fairness. "We will resolutely safeguard our legitimate interests," he concluded.
The talks in Switzerland, which are set to begin on Saturday, are aimed at easing tensions from the trade war started by Trump's administration, which imposed a 145% tariff on Chinese imports.
In his statement, Lin Jian emphasized that China would only participate in discussions "based on equality, respect, and mutual benefit."
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Trump Questions China's Account Ahead of Switzerland Meeting
Trump, however, rejected the claim that the US had initiated the discussions. "They said we initiated? Well, I think they ought to go back and study their files, OK?" Trump remarked at the White House, questioning China's version of events.
When asked about expectations for the meeting, Trump did not provide a clear answer but pointed to the improvements in the US trade situation, stating, "We were losing a trillion dollars a year, now we're not losing anything."
Both sides are under pressure to resolve the trade war, which has affected their economies and caused turmoil in global markets.
Chinese officials have argued that the US needs China's customer base, warning that economic collapse could occur without it.
Despite this, Trump has remained firm in his stance, insisting that the tariffs are necessary to protect US interests.
Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, the top official for China-US economic and trade matters, will lead China's delegation in the Switzerland talks, Inquirer said.
The US delegation will include Treasury Secretary Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
Notably, Trump's trade advisor, Peter Navarro, a vocal advocate for tariffs, will not attend the meeting.
China has consistently maintained that it will not submit to pressure, and it has repeatedly insisted that the US first remove tariffs before any meaningful negotiations can occur.
On the other hand, Trump has refused to back down on the tariffs, saying he sees no reason to remove them to bring China to the negotiating table.
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