U.S., China Officials End Trade Talks Before Trump-Xi Summit in Beijing

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng ended three hours of talks on May 13, 2026, in Incheon, South Korea, ahead of a May 14-15 summit in Beijing between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The discussions were expected to cover trade, technology restrictions, supply chains and critical minerals, but neither side issued an immediate summary. Bessent is scheduled to join Trump in Beijing on May 13, 2026. He and Bessent also met South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, whose office said Lee urged stable U.S.-China ties. The Beijing summit is expected to include talks on possible forums to ease trade and investment tensions. U.S. officials have said China may announce purchases tied to Boeing aircraft, U.S. agricultural goods and energy. Other expected topics include semiconductors, rare earth supplies and the Iran war. Analysts said the Incheon meeting was likely exploratory, with limited prospects for early concessions from either side.