Vice Premier He Lifeng will travel to Switzerland for a high level meeting with US trade officials.

A Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced on Wednesday that at the invitation of the government of Switzerland, He will visit from May 9-12 and hold talks with Swiss leaders and relevant parties.

During his visit to Switzerland, He, as China's lead person for China-US economic and trade affairs, will have a meeting with America's Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, in what could be an initial ice-breaking step towards potential negotiations over US President Donald Trump's tariffs.

Since taking office in January, Trump has piled up new tariffs on Chinese imports totalling 145 percent while China has responded with 125 percent tariffs.

Bessent has called these levels unsustainable and an effective trade embargo between the world's two largest economies.

The Foreign Ministry also said He would also travel to France from May 12-16 to co-chair the 10th China-France High Level Economic and Financial Dialogue. (Agencies)