The Trump administration officials announced on Saturday that they had reached a breakthrough trade deal with China following two days of high-level negotiations in Geneva.
The deal marks a significant win for President Donald Trump as he continues to reshape global trade through a hardline, tariff-driven strategy.
The White House released a statement confirming a “China trade deal” had been reached on May 11 but did not disclose specific terms. The announcement came as a surprise to many observers who expected negotiations to drag on for weeks or even months.
Just weeks ago, the U.S. imposed a staggering 145% tariff on Chinese imports, effectively freezing nearly $600 billion in annual trade between the world’s two largest economies.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer described the swift agreement as a sign that “the differences may not have been as large as previously believed.” Speaking from Geneva, Greer credited the progress to extensive groundwork and intensive back-channel diplomacy in the lead-up to the talks. “What matters is we’ve now taken a major step forward,” he said.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who co-led the negotiations, echoed Greer’s optimism. “We’re happy to report that we made substantial progress in these important trade talks,” Bessent told reporters. He confirmed a full briefing will be held on the morning of May 12 to outline the agreement’s details. “This was accomplished in a spirit of cooperation and mutual respect,” he added.
The negotiations were the first direct discussions between senior U.S. and Chinese officials since Trump escalated the trade war by implementing sweeping tariffs.
China had retaliated with 125% duties on U.S. goods, stoking fears of a prolonged economic standoff. Tensions grew further when rumors circulated that China’s top military leadership was convening over the potential impact on its strategic posture, though those claims were later walked back by Chinese officials.
While neither side has yet released a formal joint statement, the White House signaled that Trump’s strategy of aggressive tariffs was vindicated by the progress in Geneva. Trump, though not physically present at the talks, praised the outcome in a Truth Social post, calling the negotiations a “total reset” and hailing the progress made.
Trump has long criticized China for its massive trade surplus with the United States, blaming Chinese exports for a U.S. trade deficit that exceeded $1.2 trillion.
He has framed the trade imbalance as a national security issue, arguing it has devastated American manufacturing and empowered a geopolitical rival.
“We believe this agreement will play a central role in addressing the economic emergency created by our trade imbalance with China,” Greer said. “This is just the beginning of a longer process, but it’s a pivotal moment.”
The China deal follows closely on the heels of another major Trump administration achievement: a new trade agreement with the United Kingdom announced on May 8.
That deal reduced tariffs on British automobiles and included major concessions on non-tariff barriers. The administration says it is currently engaged in negotiations with over 170 countries to reshape global trade norms around America’s interests.
With the China and UK agreements now in hand, the Trump White House appears to be building momentum for its ambitious trade agenda—proving once again that Trump’s tough stance on tariffs, while controversial, is yielding real results at the negotiating table.