Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng held a video call with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on July 30, 2026, to discuss recent economic and trade tensions between the two countries [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
During the call, China expressed serious concerns over recent US economic and trade restriction measures that it views as targeting Chinese products and companies [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. The US side urged China to fully fulfill its commitments on rare earth minerals and agricultural product purchases, emphasizing implementation through the Trade and Investment Council mechanism. Treasury Secretary Bessent said, "We hope China will fulfill its commitments on rare earth and agricultural products" [2]. China has committed to purchasing $17 billion annually in US agricultural products through 2028 [3].
The conversation was described as candid, in-depth, and constructive. Both sides focused on maintaining stable economic and trade relations, expanding practical cooperation, and properly resolving mutual concerns [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Despite the generally friendly tone, stern warnings were exchanged. China criticized US restrictions as disguised discrimination, market distortion, and unilateral bullying and warned of resolute countermeasures if the US persists [1]. The US also indicated consequences if China escalates tensions further [5].
The talks were held amid recent US actions escalating trade tensions. On July 28, 2026, the US Federal Communications Commission updated its import control list to restrict advanced robots and solar-powered networked inverters, effectively targeting Chinese products without naming China explicitly [1]. The US has also imposed a 12.5% tariff on Chinese imports recently, further escalating tensions [3].
These discussions come ahead of a planned summit in late September 2026 in the US between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, intended to address ongoing trade disputes and broader bilateral relations [2, 3, 5]. In addition to challenges with the US, China is intensifying economic diplomacy with Europe, conducting over 20 rounds of Sino-European consultations in recent weeks [5].
The July 30 video talks mark a key step in managing escalating trade disputes and laying groundwork for upcoming high-level meetings between the world's two largest economies.
