Setting stage for presidential summit with Xi in Beijing, Bessent and He to meet in South Korea, and the ‘3 Bs’ could be on the cards
2-MIN READ2-MINXinyi Wuin BeijingPublished: 9:00pm, 11 May 2026The next round of US-China trade talks appears to be a rushed precursor intended to set the stage for President Donald Trump’s state visit to Beijing, according to analysts who expect only modest deliverables from the negotiations.Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng will meet US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in South Korea this week, both sides have confirmed, marking the latest in a series of diplomatic sprints intended to stabilise the world’s most consequential economic relationship.
The meeting appears aimed at “reaching some quick deals” for Trump and President Xi Jinping to sign in Beijing later this week, said Xu Tianchen, senior economist at the Economist Intelligence Unit.
“However, the rush will preclude the conclusion of a wide-ranging agreement,” he said. “I’d blame the United States for this hasty meeting. Its attention was diverted by Iran until very recently.”
On Sunday, Bessent said on social media that he would first meet Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo on Tuesday, before meeting He in Seoul on Wednesday.
