US China talks in Malaysia called ‘very constructive’ by US Treasury

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
25 Oct 2025 21:28

US and Chinese officials held “very constructive” trade talks on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Malaysia, aiming to ease tensions.

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The logo of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is pictured in front of Malaysia's Petronas Twin Towers ahead of the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Friday, October 24, 2025 (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Trade discussions between the United States and China were described as “very constructive,” according to a US Treasury spokesperson quoted by the Financial Times on Saturday.

The meetings were held in Malaysia on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit, where officials aimed to de-escalate rising trade tensions between the two countries.

The delegations were led by Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who met amid concerns over a potential trade war triggered by tit-for-tat policy moves in recent weeks.

Earlier this week, China’s Commerce Ministry confirmed Vice Premier He would lead Beijing’s delegation in Malaysia from October 24 to 27 for direct talks with the US side.

The discussions came just weeks after the ministry announced new export controls, set to take effect on November 8, on materials critical to high-tech manufacturing. These include medium and heavy rare-earth elements, lithium batteries, artificial graphite anodes, and rare-earth metal mining equipment.

Trump and Xi meeting may influence outcomes

On October 10, US President Donald Trump threatened to impose an additional 100% tariff on Chinese imports and implement export restrictions on strategic software by November 1, intensifying the pressure on Beijing.

However, in a statement on October 13, Treasury Secretary Bessent suggested that Washington might delay the tariffs to give Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping time to negotiate directly during a planned meeting in South Korea.

The recent US-China talks signal a potential shift toward de-escalation as both governments assess the economic stakes of a prolonged confrontation.