Sixth round of talks to extend tariff truce, ease export controls and expand trade as markets watch closely
The 6th round of consultations will bring together top negotiators from Beijing and Washington as part of an ongoing effort to stabilise bilateral economic relations. PHOTO: news.bitcoin.com
Senior officials from China and the United States are beginning a new round of economic and trade talks on Sunday in Paris, which will continue until March 17, with analysts expecting discussions to focus on extending their tariff truce, easing export controls and exploring areas of shared economic interest between the world’s two largest economies.
According to the China Today newspaper, the 6th round of consultations will bring together top negotiators from Beijing and Washington as part of an ongoing effort to stabilise bilateral economic relations that tariffs, export restrictions and policy uncertainty have strained.
According to an announcement by China’s Ministry of Commerce, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng is leading a delegation in the talks. The consultations are expected to address “economic and trade issues of mutual concern”, the ministry said.
The outcome of the discussions is being closely watched by global markets and policymakers, as any progress in dialogue between the two economic powers could have positive ripple effects on confidence in international trade and on economic stability.
However, the talks are taking place against a backdrop of renewed trade tensions. The US has decided to launch new investigations under Section 301 of the Trade Act, targeting several trading partners, including China. The move has introduced additional complexity to the negotiations, as it signals Washington’s willingness to maintain pressure through unilateral trade tools.
The investigations were announced shortly before the Paris negotiations and are widely seen by analysts as an attempt by the US to strengthen its bargaining position.
Bai Ming, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said the timing of the investigations suggested that Washington was trying to create leverage ahead of the talks. “The United States appears to be using unilateral trade measures to increase negotiating pressure after the US Supreme Court curtailed a broader tariff programme last month,” Bai said.
Read More: Why US-China trade matters more than ever
In response to the US move, China’s Ministry of Commerce urged Washington to abandon unilateral actions and return to dialogue-based solutions. “China urges the United States to correct its wrongdoings and return to the right track of resolving issues through dialogue and consultation,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that Beijing would closely monitor developments and reserve the right to take necessary measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.
Despite recent legal developments in the US that led to the removal of some broad-based tariffs on Chinese imports, analysts say trade barriers remain historically high and continue to affect business confidence.
Luo Zhiheng, chief economist at Yuekai Securities, said that although certain tariffs had been reduced following the US Supreme Court ruling, the broader policy environment remained uncertain for companies operating across the two markets.
“US tariff levels on Chinese goods have declined somewhat, but they remain elevated compared with historical norms, and policy uncertainty continues to weigh on business expectations,” Luo said.
Following the court decision, the US invoked Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, imposing a temporary 10% import surcharge on all trading partners from February 24 to July 23, further complicating the global trade environment.
Experts say one of the key priorities of the upcoming negotiations will be to prevent further escalation in tariffs and maintain the existing truce.
Liao Fan, director of the Institute of World Economics and Politics at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said ensuring that tariffs are not increased would be essential for maintaining stability in bilateral relations. “The first priority is to ensure tariffs are only reduced, not increased,” Liao said. “That would provide a foundation for further negotiations and help anchor expectations for businesses.”
In addition to tariffs, export controls and investment restrictions are also expected to feature prominently in the discussions.
According to Zhao Zhongxiu, president of the Beijing-based University of International Business and Economics, both countries have strategic concerns regarding sensitive technologies and resources.
“Washington is seeking easier access to strategic rare earth supplies, while Beijing wants the US to halt high-tech export controls,” Zhao said. “Negotiating these boundaries is vital to prevent a disorderly fracturing of the global technology ecosystem.”
Agricultural trade is also likely to be discussed, as analysts expect progress on expanding agricultural exports between the two countries. The issue was raised during the fifth round of trade talks held in Kuala Lumpur in October last year, and observers believe further details could emerge in the Paris negotiations.
Zhao added that improved agricultural trade and better cooperation in sectors such as finance, digital services and logistics could benefit both economies by leveraging their complementary strengths. “Normalising agricultural flows and improving conditions for trade in services and logistics would help both sides capitalise on longstanding complementarities in demand and competitiveness,” he said.
Also Read: US opens new trade front with Section 301 probes
A positive outcome from the Paris talks could send a reassuring signal to international markets that both nations are actively managing their disputes and seeking pragmatic solutions.
According to China’s CGTN, the Paris meeting represents the latest step in a series of consultations launched in 2025 to maintain communication and manage trade tensions between the two countries.
The first round of talks took place in Geneva in May 2025, where both sides issued a joint statement, established a regular consultation mechanism and agreed to suspend certain “reciprocal tariffs” for 90 days.
A second round followed in London, where negotiators worked to implement the consensus reached during a phone conversation between the two countries’ leaders and continued discussions on economic and trade concerns.
Subsequent meetings were held in Stockholm and Madrid, focusing on technical issues such as sector-specific tariffs, export restrictions and investment barriers. During the Madrid talks, the two sides also discussed matters related to the short-video platform TikTok and reached a preliminary framework for addressing the issue through cooperation.
The fifth round of talks in Kuala Lumpur marked a significant milestone, as the United States agreed to cancel certain tariffs linked to fentanyl concerns and suspend additional tariffs on Chinese goods for one year.
Washington also agreed to temporarily suspend expanded export restrictions affecting companies linked to entities on its “entity list”, while China responded by suspending related export control measures and countermeasures for the same period.
Both sides also reaffirmed the outcomes of the Madrid discussions and expressed willingness to continue resolving disputes through dialogue.
Throughout the negotiation process, China and the US have stressed the importance of maintaining the economic and trade consultation mechanism established during the initial round of talks.
Chinese officials say the mechanism has helped maintain communication and prevent disputes from escalating into broader trade conflicts.
A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce said Beijing hopes the upcoming talks will build on the consensus reached by the two countries’ leaders during their meeting in Busan and their subsequent phone conversation earlier this year.
As negotiators meet in Paris, analysts say the discussions will test whether both sides can translate months of diplomatic engagement into tangible progress toward stabilising one of the most consequential economic relationships in the world.
