US AND CHINA EXTEND TRADE TRUCE UNTIL JANUARY 10, BESSENT SAYS

September 24, 2026

WASHINGTON: The United States and China have agreed to extend their existing trade truce by two months, moving its expiry from November 10 to January 10, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said. The extension is intended to provide additional time for negotiations on a potentially broader economic agreement.

Bessent made the announcement after meeting Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng in Washington ahead of President Donald Trump’s talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. He said both sides were examining whether they could move beyond a series of limited arrangements towards a larger trade deal.

The existing agreement, reached in Busan, South Korea, had eased the tariff escalation between the two countries and included commitments concerning agricultural purchases and critical minerals. Bessent said Washington was seeking stronger implementation of some of China’s commitments, while further discussions could cover agriculture, financial services and other trade barriers.

The two countries are also discussing cooperation on artificial-intelligence safety and communications over AI-related incidents. However, significant differences remain over technology controls, rare-earth supplies, Taiwan and other strategic issues as Washington and Beijing seek to stabilise their economic relationship