Senior officials from the United States and China are meeting in the Spanish capital to address long-running trade disputes, the looming TikTok deadline, and Washington’s call for its allies to impose tariffs on Beijing over its purchases of Russian oil.
The talks bring together US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, and China’s top trade negotiator Li Chenggang. This marks their fourth meeting in as many months, following previous sessions in Geneva, London, and Stockholm.
In July, both sides agreed to a 90-day trade truce that eased retaliatory tariffs and reopened rare-earth mineral exports to the US. President Donald Trump has since extended the current US tariff rates on Chinese goods—averaging about 55%—until November 10.
TikTok’s Future
For the first time, the US has publicly added TikTok to the trade talks agenda. The Chinese-owned app faces a September 17 deadline to divest its US operations or risk being banned. A source close to the administration said another extension is expected, which would be the fourth since Trump took office.
Pressure on Russian Oil
Another key issue is Washington’s demand that China and other nations halt Russian oil purchases, which the US argues are bankrolling Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Bessent has urged G7 allies to impose tariffs on imports from China and India to curb Russian revenues. The US has already slapped a 25% tariff on Indian goods over oil purchases but has stopped short of similar measures on Chinese imports.
Spain’s Diplomatic Role
Spain has seized the chance to showcase itself as a mediator in global diplomacy. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s government organized the high-profile venue at the Palacio de Santa Cruz. Madrid hopes to leverage the talks to strengthen its ties with both Washington and Beijing.
