The US and China will resume economic talks in Madrid.

247 - Next week, representatives from the United States and China will meet in Madrid for a new round of high-level negotiations on trade, tariffs, and economic security issues. This information was confirmed by both the U.S. Treasury Department and the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, according to reports. South China Morning Post.

The meetings, which will last four days starting Sunday, will be led by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng. According to a statement from Beijing, the agenda will include topics such as unilateral tariffs imposed by Washington, the use of export controls, and the controversy surrounding the TikTok app.

TikTok at the center of the dispute

Last year, the US Congress approved a nationwide ban on TikTok if the Chinese company ByteDance did not sell its majority stake. Although the Supreme Court upheld the decision, US President Donald Trump extended the deadline three times, now setting the final date as September 17th.

In response, China's Ministry of Commerce stated that Beijing's position "is clear and consistent." According to the statement, "China is firm in protecting the legitimate rights of its companies and will review the TikTok issue in accordance with laws and regulations." The Chinese government also stressed that it "has never demanded, nor will it ever demand, that any company or individual provide data located in other countries in violation of local laws."

Tariffs and external pressures

The negotiations are taking place after successive rounds in Geneva, London, and Stockholm, which resulted in the extension of the tariff suspension until November. Trump approved the extension on August 12, signaling a partial truce in the trade escalation.

Michael Froman, president of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, assessed that China has begun to exploit its pressure points on the US. He cited as an example the suspension of rare earth exports in response to tariffs imposed by Trump. "It was a warning shot that led to a reduction in tensions and the latest rounds of talks," he stated.

Despite some progress, the average tariff burden on Chinese products remains around 55%. An agreement reached in June allowed Washington to partially reduce tariffs and Beijing to resume some exports of strategic minerals, in addition to US easing of tariffs on low value-added semiconductors.

Global tensions and the political landscape

US pressure also extends to its allies. Washington has encouraged the European Union and the G7 to impose significant tariffs against China and India in response to Russian oil imports. Meanwhile, the Mexican government announced tariffs of up to 50% on more than 1.500 products, directly impacting Chinese exporters.

Froman warned that if structural issues such as state subsidies, excess production capacity, and intellectual property are not resolved, "the US economy will remain largely closed to Chinese exports." He added that other emerging economies—such as Brazil, Indonesia, India, and South Africa—are also expressing concern about the entry of Chinese products into their markets.

With a meeting between President Xi Jinping and Donald Trump expected in October, doubts linger about possible concrete results. "I'm confused about where the Trump administration really stands regarding China," said Froman, highlighting that there are internal divisions in Washington about the strategy to follow.