Published on July 28, 2025
The world's eyes are on Stockholm, where a new phase of trade negotiations between the United States and China began this Monday. These strategic talks aim to ease persistent trade tensions, lay the groundwork for a possible summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, and explore solutions to sensitive issues such as artificial intelligence and fentanyl.
A high-level diplomatic meeting
At the negotiating table are two leading economic figures: Scott Bessent, US Treasury Secretary, and He Lifeng, Chinese Vice Premier. These discussions mark an official resumption of dialogue, suspended for several months, regarding customs duties and technological disagreements between the two superpowers.
Beyond the tariff issue, the diplomats also discussed the regulation of artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and US concerns about Chinese cooperation in the fight against fentanyl. This diversity of topics reflects the strategic scope of the ongoing talks.
Tariff truce and presidential outlook
One of the priority objectives of the discussions remains the extension of the current tariff truce, which is set to expire on August 12. According to several sources, both sides are seriously considering a three-month extension to give diplomatic negotiations a real chance.
Against the backdrop, the prospect of a summit meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, potentially scheduled for November 2025, is strongly motivating both sides to find compromises. This meeting, eagerly awaited by global markets, could relaunch bilateral economic relations on a new footing.
Stabilizing a trade relationship under pressure
Since the start of the trade war between the two countries, tariff sanctions have caused major disruptions to global supply chains, affecting consumer prices and causing uncertainty among investors. The resumption of negotiations therefore represents an opportunity for stabilization at a critical time for the global economy.
By redefining the terms of bilateral trade, the Stockholm discussions could lay the foundations for more structured cooperation in sensitive technological areas, but also pave the way for a gradual thawing of diplomatic relations between Washington and Beijing.
A Dialogue That Goes Beyond Tariffs
The issues now go beyond the simple question of customs. Artificial intelligence, access to strategic electronic components, security cooperation, and illicit fentanyl flows are all areas of contention that the two nations want to bring to the table.
The stated desire of both delegations to address these issues simultaneously reflects a change in approach: it is no longer a matter of negotiating tariff by tariff, but of addressing all the irritants from a systemic perspective.
Next Decisive Steps
The fate of the tariff truce will be sealed in the coming days. An extension would be seen as a positive signal by the markets and the international community. As for the Trump-Xi meeting, it remains conditional on tangible progress in these negotiations.
Stockholm could therefore become the scene of a new chapter in the Sino-American rivalry, at the intersection of diplomacy, economics, and technology.
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