Rarely has such a direct encounter taken place. For the first time, China will send its top economic negotiator, Vice Premier He Lifeng, to the United States for in-person talks. On September 19, Chinese authorities announced that He would lead a delegation to Washington to conduct economic and trade consultations with U.S. counterparts. According to informed sources cited by foreign media, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to meet with He in New York this weekend to discuss issues including artificial intelligence (AI), trade, rare earth minerals, and other economic matters.
This move follows high-level diplomatic communication between the two countries’ foreign ministers. The dispatch of a senior Chinese official directly to the United States for face-to-face negotiations carries notable strategic significance. Historically, previous rounds of U.S.-China trade talks have been held in neutral third-party locations such as Geneva, Stockholm, and Seoul—venues chosen precisely for their geographic neutrality. Conducting such talks on American soil marks a departure from precedent.
The reluctance of both sides to hold negotiations within each other’s domestic territory in the past stemmed from mutual distrust and concerns over being subjected to intense domestic political pressures. By choosing to engage directly on U.S. ground, China signals that after multiple rounds of preliminary discussions in neutral venues, both sides now perceive sufficient groundwork for deeper substantive dialogue. This shift suggests a measurable improvement in foundational trust, enabling progress toward more complex and sensitive negotiations.
The timing of this development—immediately following a senior-level foreign ministerial call—further underscores that, despite broader geopolitical complexities, there exists a shared understanding at the political level. This alignment provides a more favorable environment for addressing concrete economic challenges. While sources indicate that topics such as AI, trade, rare earth resources, and other economic issues will be discussed, these areas remain marked by significant divergence. Nevertheless, the decision to travel to the United States reflects a clear willingness to deepen cooperation and expand shared outcomes. The expectation remains that meaningful consensus can be reached.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1876723358289995/
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