China News
TRADE WARS
China and US wrap first day of trade talks
China and US wrap first day of trade talks
By Nioucha Zakavati with Beiyi Seow in Washington
Stockholm (AFP) July 28, 2025

Chinese and US officials wrapped the first day in a fresh round of talks in Stockholm on Monday, with the world's top two economies looking to extend a fragile trade truce in the face of President Donald Trump's global tariff war.

The talks came a day after Trump reached a deal with the EU that will see the bloc's exports to the United States taxed at 15 percent.

The negotiations in Sweden concluded shortly before 8:00 pm (1800 GMT), with neither side offering details on their progress, although a US Treasury department spokesman said they were expected to resume on Tuesday.

The United States and China earlier this year imposed triple-digit tariffs on each other in a tit-for-tat escalation, but then walked them back under a temporary agreement reached in May.

The expiry of that 90-day truce falls on August 12, but there are indications they could use the Stockholm talks to push it back further.

The South China Morning Post, citing sources on both sides, reported on Sunday that Washington and Beijing are expected to extend their tariff pause by a further 90 days.

Under the existing accord, US duties on Chinese goods have temporarily been lowered to 30 percent, and China's countermeasures slashed to 10 percent.

Dozens of other countries, though, face a Trump deadline of Friday this week to seal deals with Washington or see US tariffs against them rise.

Beijing said ahead of the Stockholm meeting that it wants to see "reciprocity" in its trade with the United States.

Foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said Beijing favoured "consensus through dialogue" to "reduce misunderstandings, strengthen cooperation and promote the stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-US relations".

The negotiating teams in Stockholm were being led by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Sweden.

They were meeting in the Rosenbad building, home to the Swedish government. The Chinese and US flags were raised in front of it for the talks.

- 'Shift' seen in US approach -

The previous round of China-US talks was held in London.

"There seems to have been a fairly significant shift in (US) administration thinking on China since particularly the London talks," said Emily Benson, head of strategy at Minerva Technology Futures.

"The mood now is much more focused on what's possible to achieve, on warming relations where possible and restraining any factors that could increase tensions," she told AFP.

Talks with China have not produced a deal but Benson said both countries have made progress, with certain rare earth and semiconductor flows restarting.

"Secretary Bessent has also signalled that he thinks a concrete outcome will be to delay the 90-day tariff pause," she said. "That's also promising, because it indicates that something potentially more substantive is on the horizon."

US-China Business Council president Sean Stein said the most important thing from Stockholm "is the atmosphere coming out".

"The business community is optimistic that the two presidents will meet later this year, hopefully in Beijing," he told AFP.

Other countries in Trump's tariffs crosshairs have been parsing Washington's negotiations with China and the European Union for clues on what options they might have.

The US president has imposed a baseline 10-percent rate on most countries around the world, but has vowed to raise that from August 1 on certain nations if they do not make a deal.

He has threatened to hike tariffs up to 50 percent on partners such as Brazil and India.

Tariffs imposed by the Trump administration have already effectively raised duties on US imports to levels not seen since the 1930s, according to data from The Budget Lab research centre at Yale University.

Trump has announced pacts so far with the European Union, Britain, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines, although details have been sparse.

The EU unveiled a pact with Washington on Sunday while South Korea is rushing to strike an agreement.

Breakthroughs have been patchy since Washington promised a flurry of agreements after unveiling -- and then swiftly postponing -- tariff hikes targeting dozens of economies in April.

burs-ft/rlp

Related Links
Global Trade News

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
TRADE WARS
China's premier tells EU leaders 'we can't afford' massive industrial subsidies
Beijing (AFP) July 25, 2025
Chinese Premier Li Qiang dismissed EU fears over Beijing's allegedly excessive subsidies to its industry, telling the bloc's leaders "we can't afford it" in markedly candid remarks during a tense summit. Speaking during a roundtable with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday, Li insisted that "China is by no means doing what some call a subsidies policy or fiscal subsidies". "China is not as rich as Europe, and we can't afford it," he said. "We would not be stupid enough to use the fisca ... read more

TRADE WARS
Six Chinese universities to launch new low altitude space major this fall

International deep space alliance launched in Hefei China

China launches international association to boost global access to deep space research

Chinese Long March Rockets Make International Debut at Paris Air Show

TRADE WARS
China and US wrap first day of trade talks

US-China set to meet with extension of tariff pause on the cards

US says Trump has 'final call' on China trade truce

Stock markets boosted after EU, US strike trade deal

TRADE WARS
TRADE WARS
EU says China's links with Russia now 'determining factor' in ties

Trump set to visit Scotland for trade talks, and some golf

China says raised 'solemn representations' with EU over Russia sanctions

Kremlin cautions 'lots of work' ahead before Ukraine peace deal

TRADE WARS
Three drones detected in Japan nuclear plant

Joint KIT and EU Effort Aims to Advance Nuclear Safety and Scientific Expertise

Framatome to supply nuclear fuel for Barakah plant boosting UAE energy security

Framatome opens advanced additive manufacturing hub in France

TRADE WARS
TikTok launches crowd-sourced debunking tool in US

Macau ex-lawmaker arrested in city's first national security law action

China warns public workers against 'showing off' state secrets online

Russia seeks to fine web users searching for content deemed 'extremist'

TRADE WARS
Three drones detected in Japan nuclear plant

Joint KIT and EU Effort Aims to Advance Nuclear Safety and Scientific Expertise

Framatome to supply nuclear fuel for Barakah plant boosting UAE energy security

Framatome opens advanced additive manufacturing hub in France

TRADE WARS
Drone swarm explores turbulent airflows near wind turbines

Dogs on the trail of South Africa's endangered tortoises

UK ditches mega green energy supply project from Morocco

Trump admin ends halt on New York offshore wind project

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.