China and the United States on Saturday kicked off a high-level meeting on economic and trade affairs in Geneva.

Xinhua news agency reported that Vice Premier He Lifeng had met with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

The closed-door discussions began at mid-morning on Saturday and were due to continue on Sunday at the residence of the Swiss ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva.

The talks come as both sides seek to de-escalate a trade war sparked by US President Donald Trump's sweeping tariff rollout.

Tariffs imposed on China since the start of the year currently total 145 percent, with cumulative duties on some goods reaching 245 percent.

In retaliation, China slapped 125 percent levies on US goods.

Trump signalled on Friday that he could lower the tariffs on Chinese imports, taking to social media to suggest that an "80% Tariff on China seems right!" (Additional reporting by AFP)
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Last updated: 2025-05-10 HKT 20:51