On Sunday, United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that he will be visiting Japan and South Korea before the Trump-Xi meeting and will hold talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in South Korea. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce also confirmed on Sunday that the US-China teams will conduct economic and trade negotiations in South Korea.
Bessent took to the social media platform X to officially announce his upcoming week’s schedule. He stated, “I will depart on Monday, May 11, for a series of intensive meetings in Japan and South Korea before President Trump meets with Xi Jinping in Beijing.”
“On Tuesday, May 12, I will meet with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama, and other government and private sector representatives in Tokyo to discuss US-Japan economic relations,” Bessent said.
The Treasury Secretary then revealed that he will meet with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in South Korea.
“On Wednesday, May 13, I will stay in Seoul to hold talks with Chinese State Councilor He Lifeng before heading to Beijing to participate in the leadership meeting between President Trump and Xi Jinping,” Bessent said. “Economic security is national security, and I look forward to productive engagements to advance President Trump’s ‘America First’ economic agenda.”
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced on Sunday that, as agreed by both China and the US, He Lifeng will lead a delegation to South Korea from May 12 to 13 for economic and trade negotiations with the US.
“The two sides will build on the important consensus reached in the past meetings between the heads of state of the two countries, focusing on economic and trade issues of mutual concern,” the Commerce Ministry said.
US President Trump will pay a state visit to China on Thursday, May 14, and Friday and hold a leadership summit with Xi Jinping in Beijing. Analysts believe that the US-China teams conducting economic and trade negotiations before the Trump-Xi meeting aim to prepare for the leaders’ summit.
Before Trump and Xi Jinping’s meeting in Busan, South Korea last year, Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer also held US-China economic and trade negotiations with He Lifeng in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.