Kuala Lumpur, Oct 26 (EFE).— The United States and China Sunday reached a “preliminary agreement” after two days of trade negotiations in Kuala Lumpur, paving the way for a meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, amid renewed tensions between the two powers.
At a press conference following the talks, held at the Merdeka 188 Tower, China’s international trade representative Li Chenggang said both sides had reached a “preliminary agreement” and explored “suitable proposals to address mutual concerns.”
“The next step will be for each party to complete its respective internal approval procedures,” Li said, according to a transcript published by the official Xinhua agency.
The negotiations coincided with Trump’s arrival in Kuala Lumpur for an ASEAN leaders’ summit held at the city’s Convention Center.
While Li gave no specifics about the agreement, he said the fifth round of talks since April, following last month’s meeting in Madrid—covered “numerous topics,” including export controls, extending the reciprocal suspension of tariffs, fentanyl-related trade, and cooperation against drug trafficking.
Both sides also discussed the “further expansion” of bilateral trade and US measures concerning port tariffs on Chinese vessels.
Li noted that Washington maintained a “firm” stance throughout the negotiations, while Beijing “strongly defended” its interests.
‘Solid foundations’ for Trump–Xi summit
Earlier, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said both sides had built “a very successful framework for the leaders to discuss.”
He said the two sides talked about trade, rare earths, fentanyl, TikTok, and the overall bilateral relationship.
He said Trump and Xi would discuss soybean and agricultural purchases from American farmers, more balanced trade and resolving the US fentanyl crisis, which was the basis of 20 percent US tariffs on Chinese goods.
US trade representative Jamieson Greer added that both delegations worked on the “final details” of a potential deal that will need approval from both leaders.
Trump arrived in Malaysia on Sunday for a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, his first stop in a five-day Asia tour at the end of which he is expected to meet with Xi in South Korea on Oct. 30.
Trump also voiced optimism, saying before his meeting Sunday with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit. “I think we are going to have a good deal with China.”
He hinted at possible follow-up meetings with Xi in both countries after the South Korea summit.
A decisive moment for bilateral ties
The Kuala Lumpur negotiations aimed to clear the path for next week’s Trump–Xi meeting, still unconfirmed by Beijing, amid a fresh escalation of tensions following China’s recent restrictions on rare earth exports, a sector it largely dominates.
In response, Trump threatened to impose an additional 100 percent tariff on Chinese products starting Nov. 1, potentially raising effective rates to as high as 157 percent.
Earlier this month, reciprocal port fees came into effect, and on Friday, the Trump administration launched an investigation into alleged Chinese violations of the 2020 trade agreement, which Beijing insists it has “scrupulously” upheld.
Following the talks, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng stressed that the “stable development” of Sino–US.
trade relations “serves the fundamental interests of both countries and their peoples,” urging both sides to “jointly preserve the achievements made in Kuala Lumpur.” EFE
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