‘US expresses its position in a tough manner, China remains resolute in safeguarding its interests'; China, US reach basic consensuses on properly addressing several key economic, trade issues

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng (right) and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessentin pose for a photo on October 25, 2025 before China-US trade talks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Photo: Xinhua

China, US delegations reached basic consensuses on arrangements to address respective trade concerns after two days of talks in Kuala Lumpur, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

The essence of China-US economic and trade relations is mutual benefit and win-win results, and the two countries gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng said after meeting in Kuala Lumpur from Saturday to Sunday with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, according to Xinhua.

Guided by the important consensuses reached by the two heads of state in their phone conversations since the beginning of this year, the two sides had candid, in-depth and constructive exchanges of views on important trade and economic issues of mutual concerns, including the US Section 301 measures on China's maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors, extension of the suspension of reciprocal tariffs, fentanyl-related tariff and law enforcement cooperation, trade in agricultural products, and export controls, according to Xinhua.

The two sides agreed to work out specific details and follow the domestic approval processes of each side.

He noted that maintaining the stable development of China-US trade relations serves the shared interests of both countries and peoples, and meets the expectations of the international community, said Xinhua.

Regarding economic and trade differences and frictions, the two sides should uphold the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, conduct dialogue and consultation on equal footing, and find ways to properly address each other's concerns, He said.

Safeguarding the hard-won achievements in China-US economic and trade consultations requires joint efforts from both sides, He said.

He urged the US side to work with China in the same direction, implement the important consensuses reached between the two heads of state during their phone conversations as well as the gains of bilateral trade talks held this year, further build mutual trust, manage differences, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, and promote China-US economic and trade relations to a higher level.

According to Xinhua, the US side said that the US-China economic and trade relationship is the most influential bilateral relationship in the world, expressing willingness to work with China in the spirit of equality and respect to properly address differences, deepen cooperation and promote shared development.

China and the US reached basic consensuses on properly addressing several important economic and trade issues of respective concerns, and will then go through their respective domestic approval procedures, Li Chenggang, China international trade representative with the Ministry of Commerce and vice minister of commerce, said on Sunday when briefing the press following the new round of China-US economic and trade talks held over the past two days, according to Xinhua.

"Over the past two days, the economic and trade teams from China and the US engaged in in-depth and candid discussion on issues including the US Section 301 measures on China's maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors, extension of the suspension of reciprocal tariffs, fentanyl-related tariff and counternarcotics cooperation, expanding trade, and export controls," said Li.

The two sides conducted constructive discussions on solutions to properly address the concerns of both sides, and reached basic consensuses, he added.

The US side expressed its position in a tough manner, and the Chinese side remained resolute in safeguarding its interests, Li said.

What's next?

A Bloomberg report noted that the meeting on the first day lasted for 5.5 hours. The second day of trade talks between the US and China in Kuala Lumpur was paving the way for a "productive meeting" between the leaders of the two countries, citing Washington's top trade envoy, per a Reuters report.

According to Bloomberg, Bessent said they have reached a very successful framework for the leaders to discuss. They've also had significant discussions on agriculture purchases.

"Both sides openly shared their perspectives and stances on issues of respective concern, which is a positive step forward. The fact that they have identified a broad range of topics and engaged in constructive dialogue suggests a solid foundation for progress," said Zhou Mi, a senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Global Times on Sunday.

Seen from the statements released by both sides, this round of trade talks in Kuala Lumpur seems to have been quite productive, Zhou said.

But Zhou added that the talks could be quite intense, as Chinese international trade representative said that "the US expressed a tough stance, while China steadfastly safeguarded its interests." This also manifested that the current achievements in China-US economic and trade consultations are hard-won.

Over the past month or so, China-US economic and trade relations have experienced some turbulence and fluctuations, which have drawn attention from the world, Li said.

Li said that since the China-US economic and trade talks in Geneva this May, China has strictly followed the consensuses reached in multiple phone calls between the two heads of state, faithfully and earnestly implemented the outcomes of the economic and trade talks, and carefully safeguarded the hard-won, relatively stable China-US economic and trade cooperation relationship.

Such turbulence and fluctuations are not what China wishes to see, Li noted.

Chinese experts noted that whether this round of talks will culminate in a formal written agreement remains to be seen and will depend on future efforts.

According to Xinhua, both sides agreed that, under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, they will make full use of the China-US economic and trade consultation mechanism, maintain close communication on respective concerns in the economic and trade fields, and promote the healthy, stable and sustainable development of economic and trade relations to benefit the two peoples and contribute to global prosperity.

At the invitation of President Lee Jae-myung of South Korea, Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Gyeongju and pay a state visit to the South Korea from October 30 to November 1, the Chinese foreign ministry announced on Friday.

In response to a question asking whether the presidents of China and the US will meet on the sidelines of the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in South Korea, Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, said on Friday that "China and the US are in close communication on a meeting between the two presidents. We will keep you updated on that."

The China-US trade talks in Kuala Lumpur was held ahead of the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in South Korea. Analysts believe that positive progress made in the talks will inject new momentum into the APEC framework, which promotes openness.

"The China-US trade talks carry special significance as they're far-reaching and more complex in nature. So the world has been following the talks very closely," Zhou said.