China and the United States held their first trade council meeting under their bilateral economic and trade consultation mechanism via video link on Friday, China's commerce ministry said on Saturday. The two sides held "candid, in-depth and constructive discussions" on implementing outcomes from previous trade consultations, including tariffs, a reciprocal tariff-reduction arrangement involving $30 billion on each side, and agricultural trade.
The Trade Council mechanism was created in September, when the two sides prepared lists of non-sensitive goods worth up to $30 billion from each side that could be suitable for tariff reductions. The American list includes consumer goods such as microwave ovens, electric irons, Christmas decorations and toys; China's list consists mainly of agricultural products, including corn, sorghum, dairy products, beef and vegetables.
The Office of the United States Trade Representative said representatives of the agency and the US Treasury Department took part in the meeting. It was preceded by a video call last week involving Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng.
Neither side disclosed any specific agreements from the meeting, and no timetable for the next round of talks was announced. China's ministry said both sides would continue to use the council to address trade concerns, expand cooperation and reduce outstanding issues.
The meeting came several days before President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are due to meet on Thursday on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, where a trilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin is also planned. The tariff-reduction arrangement under discussion would cover $30 billion of goods from each side — $60 billion in total — including around $17 billion in American farm products that China imported in 2024, though the plan has not yet been finalised.
