China, US to hold trade talks in South Korea ahead of expected Trump visit to Beijing

Senior trade negotiators from China and the United States will hold economic and trade consultations Wednesday in South Korea ahead of an expected visit by US President Donald Trump to China.

China’s Commerce Ministry said Vice Premier He Lifeng will lead a delegation to Seoul on Tuesday and Wednesday for the talks, according to state-run Xinhua News Agency.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will represent the American side.

Bessent said Sunday that he would travel to Japan and South Korea beginning Monday ahead of Trump’s expected summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

He is scheduled to meet Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday, along with Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama and other government and private-sector representatives, for discussions on US-Japan economic ties.

Bessent said he would then travel to Seoul on Wednesday for talks with He.

“Economic security is national security,” he said.

The latest planned meeting follows the sixth round of US-China economic and trade consultations held in Paris in March.