WASHINGTON – U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday refrained from confirming President Donald Trump’s recent claims that discussions over tariffs with China are actively happening. Bessent also indicated he was unaware if Trump had directly spoken with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Last week, the Trump administration hinted at a willingness to ease tensions in the ongoing trade war between the United States and China, a conflict that has stoked global recession fears. Trump himself suggested that negotiations regarding tariffs were underway and claimed he and Xi had been in contact.
However, officials in Beijing have firmly denied that any negotiations are taking place.
Bessent, who has been deeply involved in America’s trade discussions with various nations, noted that he had engagements with Chinese officials during the International Monetary Fund meetings held in Washington last week. Still, he emphasized that these talks were focused on broader financial issues rather than tariff discussions.
“I had interactions with my Chinese counterpart, but our conversations centered around traditional topics like financial stability and global economic early warning systems,” Bessent stated during an appearance on ABC’s “This Week.”
When asked about Trump’s communications with Xi, Bessent admitted, “I don’t know if President Trump has had direct talks with President Xi. I do know they maintain a strong relationship built on mutual respect.”
Addressing the Chinese government’s denial of ongoing talks, Bessent commented, “They are addressing a different audience than we are.”
Previously, Bessent had described the process of negotiating tariffs with China as a “slog” and did not offer a clear timeline for when a potential deal might be reached. He suggested that while a comprehensive agreement could take months to finalize, a preliminary understanding to prevent the escalation of tariffs could potentially be achieved much sooner.
Trump’s unpredictable approach to implementing tariffs has impacted not just China, but key U.S. allies such as Canada and Mexico. The resulting market instability has shaken investor confidence and fueled significant financial volatility.
In a separate interview broadcast on Sunday, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins provided a slightly different perspective. Speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Rollins mentioned that the U.S. was engaged in daily communications with Chinese officials regarding tariffs but declined to provide further details.
“Every day we’re speaking with China, as well as with the nearly 100 other countries involved in trade discussions,” Rollins said.
