Bessent and China’s He Lifeng hold trade talks in Seoul ahead of Trump-Xi summit

Top U.S. and Chinese officials met in Korea, Wednesday, with Korea serving as a neutral ground for last-minute talks on the eve of a summit between the leaders of the two countries. The meeting took place in the VIP lounge of Incheon International Airport, where U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng fine-tuned and finalized the agenda for the summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, scheduled to take place in Beijing, Thursday. The consultation lasted about three hours. According to China's CCTV, the two sides “exchanged frank, in-depth and constructive views” on economic and trade issues, which have been at the center of a diplomatic row between the world’s two largest economies. Prior to their meeting, each official paid a courtesy call to President Lee Jae Myung at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, with Lee expressing his best wishes for a successful summit between the U.S. and China. Regarding the officials' visit, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said, “It reflected Korea’s position as both an ally of the U.

U.S. Treasury Secretary ⁠Scott ⁠Bessent and Chinese ​Vice ​Premier He ⁠Lifeng held talks on Wednesday at the Incheon International Airport in South Korea ahead of the summit betwee...

Top U.S. and Chinese officials met in Korea, Wednesday, with Korea serving as a neutral ground for last-minute talks ahead of a summit between the leaders of the two countries. U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng fine-tuned and finalized the agenda for the summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled to take place in Beijing on Thursday. Prior to their meeting, each official paid a courtesy call to President Lee Jae Myung at Cheong Wa Dae, with Lee expressing his best wishes for a successful summit between the U.S. and China. Regarding the officials' visit, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said, “It reflected Korea’s position as both an ally of the U.S. and a strategic cooperative partner of China.” The president and the two officials discussed Korea’s bilateral issues with their respective nations. With Bessent, Lee discussed “positive economic momentum” between Seoul and Washington despite challenging external conditions, along with efforts to strengthen cooperation in security, econom

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng held trade talks in Seoul on Wednesday ahead of this week's high-stakes summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. The two met behind closed doors at a VIP lounge at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, to coordinate the agenda of the Trump-Xi summit scheduled for Thursday. Bessent arrived in Seoul from Japan hours earlier and paid a courtesy call on President Lee Jae Myung at Cheong Wa Dae before returning to the airport. The talks were held under tight security, with all access points to the lounge closed, including to the press. Bessent will later head to Beijing to join Trump on his two-day visit to the country.

China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng met South Korea’s president in Seoul ahead of talks with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, in preparation for a summit between the leaders of the world’s two biggest economies.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent arrived in South Korea on Wednesday for talks with a Chinese official ahead of a high-stakes summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Bessent landed at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on a private jet from Japan and left the building through a VIP exit. He is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on President Lee Jae Myung at Cheong Wa Dae in the morning before meeting Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng for high-level trade talks in the afternoon. Bessent will later head to Beijing to join Trump on his two-day visit to the country.