Optimism Ahead of Presidential Summit
Currently, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer remains highly optimistic about stabilizing economic ties with Beijing ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s expected visit to Washington. Specifically, Greer emphasized that Chinese officials very much want to establish a stable relationship, an objective fully shared by the United States. Furthermore, the trade chief expects significant announcements regarding the operationalization of the US-China Board of Trade during the upcoming summit between Xi and US President Donald Trump. Consequently, the highly anticipated meeting will likely include new mechanisms for incentivizing American agricultural sales to China. Ultimately, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun reiterated on Friday that both nations must actively maintain this steady momentum in their bilateral economic ties.
The US-China Board of Trade
Meanwhile, the creation of the bilateral Board of Trade was initially announced in May following Trump’s recent visit to Beijing. In fact, this new mechanism was established alongside a Board of Investment to better manage complex business ties between the world’s two largest economies. Therefore, both sides are actively identifying non-sensitive sectors eligible for tariff-reduced trade, specifically capped at US$30 billion for each nation. Moreover, Greer explained that this specific arrangement shields certain products from future trade measures, particularly goods with limited American production. Indeed, the trade representative cited toys, games, and fireworks as prime examples of non-sensitive products that do not threaten the domestic economy.
Agricultural Trade and Managing Relations
In addition, agricultural exports remain a major focal point of the ongoing bilateral trade discussions. For instance, the Chinese embassy in Washington confirmed in July that agriculture and aviation were specifically selected for tariff-reduced trade frameworks. Similarly, both nations agreed in principle to expand two-way agricultural trade through reciprocal tariff reductions. As a result, the bilateral trade truce originally agreed upon in Busan, South Korea, in October 2025 will likely be extended. Finally, Greer clarified that the United States is not seeking a giant comprehensive trade agreement, but rather practical mechanisms to simply manage the bilateral relationship.
Reference
Seth, N., & Seth, N. (2026e, septiembre 4). Trade chief Greer ‘optimistic’ the US and China can stabilise ties. South China Morning Post. https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3366318/trade-chief-greer-optimistic-us-and-china-can-stabilise-ties?module=perpetual_scroll_0&pgtype=article