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China and the US are working towards early reciprocal tariff cuts before Donald Trump meets Xi Jinping in Washington. The move could steady strained ties, though a wider trade deal still appears unlikely.
Beijing,UPDATED: Sep 10, 2026 16:00 IST
China and the US hope to reach an agreement soon on cutting import taxes on USD 30 billion worth of goods, a Chinese government spokesperson said on Thursday, raising expectations that an announcement could come when President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping meet in Washington on September 24.
Both governments have described the summit as part of an effort to stabilise ties between the world’s two largest economies. Trade is expected to be a central issue at the meeting, which will be the third face-to-face talks between Trump and Xi in the past year.
At a weekly briefing, Commerce Ministry spokesperson Huang Ling said negotiators are striving to implement reciprocal tariff reductions on USD 30 billion of goods “at an early date”. She did not elaborate further.
The talks on reciprocal tariff reductions are a central part of negotiations on creating a US-China Board of Trade. Trump and Xi agreed at their previous meeting in May in Beijing to launch the Board of Trade to manage trade between the two countries, along with a parallel Board of Investment.
The agreements followed a truce in a tariff war in which Trump raised tariffs on Chinese imports to very high levels and China responded in kind. The aim now is to identify and reduce tariffs on equivalent amounts of “non-sensitive” goods on each side.
On Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said, “Leaders’ diplomacy plays an irreplaceable strategic guiding role in China-US relations.” Barclays Bank said in a research note this week, “Trade will be front and centre at the summit,” while noting that the tariff truce between the two countries expires on November 10. It added that the chances of a broad trade deal are limited and that targeted tariff reductions are more likely.
In summary, China and the US are working towards early reciprocal tariff cuts ahead of the Trump-Xi meeting on September 24, with trade talks, the proposed Board of Trade and the November 10 tariff truce deadline forming the backdrop to the summit.
With PTI Inputs
- Ends
Published By:
India Today Web Desk
Published On:
Sep 10, 2026 16:00 IST
