Treasury Secretary to Meet Chinese Vice Premier Ahead of Trump's Beijing Visit

Talks in Paris aim to set the stage for President Trump's state visit to China.

Mar. 12, 2026 at 7:43pm

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U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will meet with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Paris this weekend for a new round of trade talks, paving the way for President Donald Trump's state visit to Beijing starting March 31. The meeting between Bessent and He is seen as preparatory work for the highly anticipated Trump-Xi summit, as the two countries look to keep relations stable between the world's two largest economies.

Why it matters

The talks between Bessent and He are crucial in setting the agenda and tone for President Trump's visit to China, which will be the first for a U.S. president since 2017. The business community and analysts will be closely watching for any potential agreements or progress on issues like China's purchase of more U.S. products and managing the trade imbalance between the two countries.

The details

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng will meet in Paris on Sunday and Monday for trade negotiations. The talks are seen as preparatory work for President Trump's state visit to Beijing, which is scheduled to begin on March 31. While China has not yet confirmed the Bessent-He meeting, the Treasury Department has said the talks will set the stage for the Trump-Xi summit.

  • Bessent and He will meet in Paris on March 12-13, 2026.
  • President Trump's state visit to Beijing is scheduled to begin on March 31, 2026.

The players

Scott Bessent

The U.S. Treasury Secretary leading trade negotiations with China.

He Lifeng

The Chinese Vice Premier participating in trade talks with the U.S.

Donald Trump

The President of the United States, who will be visiting Beijing for a state visit.

Xi Jinping

The President of China, who will be meeting with President Trump during his state visit.

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What they’re saying

“Thanks to the bonds of mutual respect between President Trump and President Xi, the trade and economic dialogue between the United States and China is moving forward. Under the guidance of President Trump, our team will continue to deliver results that put America's farmers, workers, and businesses first.”

— Scott Bessent, U.S. Treasury Secretary (Associated Press)

“What the two sides need to do now is to make thorough preparations accordingly, create a suitable environment, manage the risks that do exist and remove unnecessary disruptions.”

— Wang Yi, Chinese Foreign Minister (Associated Press)

What’s next

The outcome of the Bessent-He talks in Paris will be closely watched as it sets the stage for the highly anticipated Trump-Xi summit in Beijing at the end of March.

The takeaway

The upcoming meetings between U.S. and Chinese officials demonstrate the continued efforts to maintain stable relations between the world's two largest economies, despite ongoing trade tensions. Successful talks could pave the way for progress on key issues during President Trump's state visit to China.