Fresh out of Barnard College with a degree in political science, Riley is a writer and reporter for GZERO. When she isn’t writing about global politics, you can find her making GZERO’s crossword puzzles, conducting research on American politics, or persisting in her lifelong quest to learn French. Riley spends her time outside of work grilling, dancing, and wearing many hats (both literally and figuratively).
The urgency of the meeting — coming just weeks after reciprocal tariffs took effect in April — suggests the Trump administration is eager to de-escalate as economic costs mount. China is scoping out whether Washington is really ready to negotiate, and is framing the talks as US-initiated so they can engage without appearing to be yielding to US pressure.
Trade impacts are already visible. In the first quarter, the US share of Chinese exports dropped to a two-decade low, while American retailers warn of holiday shortages and rising prices. China, meanwhile, saw factory output shrink in April and is racing to secure new markets.
Each side comes to the table with firm goals. Washington wants to shrink China’s trade surplus and curb practices it sees as unfair, including industrial subsidies, tech restrictions, and IP theft. Beijing also wants tariffs reduced — but not at the expense of overhauling its economic model.
This weekend’s discussion is expected to be exploratory, not revolutionary. Progress, Eurasia Group China expert Lauren Gloudeman says, would be if “the meeting yields any plans to meet again.”
