4 h. ago US, China trade officials to meet in Malaysia amid escalating rare earths dispute

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Wednesday that he and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent would travel to Malaysia later that day as scheduled to meet with Chinese officials over what he called Beijing’s “incredibly aggressive” measures to curb rare earth exports. The meeting is seen as a stepping stone to a sit-down in South Korea next week on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at a time of...

Politics

21 h. ago Can Trump’s pragmatism override China hawks to keep ties from rupture?

China’s rocky trade relationship with the United States was on full display this month as US President Donald Trump threatened to impose additional tariffs on Chinese imports. Separately, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent denounced China’s move to expand curbs on rare earth exports, calling it “a sign of how weak their economy is”. He also described Li Chenggang, one of China’s trade negotiators, as “pretty unhinged and very aggressive”. Trade ties between the rival powers remain fraught, even...

Politics

34 h. ago Can Scott Bessent see China’s trade counterstrike with clear eyes?

After a video call last Saturday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng are expected to meet in Malaysia this week to hopefully ease tensions before US President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping potentially meet on the sidelines of this year’s Apec summit. The meeting was in doubt when Trump threatened to impose an additional 100 per cent tariff on China, despite later relenting that it might not be sustainable. Washington blamed Beijing for the escalation,...

Events

49 h. ago China fires top trade negotiator after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent calls him ‘unhinged’

China fires top trade negotiator after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent calls him ‘unhinged’  New York Post

Events

4 d. ago Top US and China envoys set trade talks after ‘constructive’ phone call

Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent held a phone call on Saturday morning and stated that trade negotiators from their countries would meet next week. “This evening, Vice-Premier He Lifeng and I engaged in frank and detailed discussions regarding trade between the United States and China,” Bessent wrote on social media on Friday evening in Washington. “We will meet in person next week to continue our discussions.” In a separate read-out, China described He’s...

Politics

4 d. ago Top US and China envoys set trade talks after ‘constructive’ video call

Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent held a video call on Saturday morning and stated that trade negotiators from their countries would meet next week. “This evening, Vice-Premier He Lifeng and I engaged in frank and detailed discussions regarding trade between the United States and China,” Bessent wrote on social media on Friday evening in Washington. “We will meet in person next week to continue our discussions.” In a separate read-out, China described He’s...

Politics

4 d. ago Top US and China trade envoys set for talks after ‘constructive’ video call

China and the United States are set to hold fresh trade talks next week, following a video call between Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Saturday morning Beijing time. “Vice-Premier He Lifeng and I engaged in frank and detailed discussions regarding trade between the United States and China,” Bessent wrote on social media after their call. “We will meet in person next week to continue our discussions.” In its readout, China described He’s discussions with...

Politics

5 d. ago US threats to decouple from China only expose its own vulnerability

Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. After Beijing announced sweeping export controls last week on rare earths and other critical minerals, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent went ballistic. “Maybe there is some Leninist business model where hurting your customers is a good idea, but they are the largest supplier to the world,” he said. Someone from Beijing might have retorted that Washington has been running on some fascist business model whereby it is upending the entire global trade...

Events

6 d. ago The squeeze is on: Beijing and Washington flex muscles as narrative war heats up

As China and the United States accuse each other of provoking the latest escalation in trade tensions and disrupting the world economy, analysts say both share a goal in their war of words: applying maximum pressure until a deal is struck. In the past few days, Washington has framed the recent flare-up in relations as “China versus the world”, with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggesting on Wednesday that Beijing’s restrictions on the export of rare earth elements unveiled last week made...

Events

6 d. ago Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent slams China as Beijing threatens "hellfire" over trade war

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent slams China as Beijing threatens "hellfire" over trade war  tag24.com

Events

6 d. ago After India, US tells Japan to stop importing Russian energy

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday that he told Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato that the Trump administration expects Japan to stop importing Russian energy. “Minister Kato and I also discussed important issues pertaining to the US-Japan economic relationship and the Administration’s expectation that Japan stop importing Russian energy,” Bessent said on social media after the two met on Wednesday. Bessent and Kato met on the sidelines of the annual International...

Politics

7 d. ago Shutdown costing US economy US$15 billion a day, Treasury chief Bessent says

The two-week-old federal government shutdown is costing the US economy about US$15 billion a day in lost output, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday, putting an estimate on its economic toll and urging Democrats to “be heroes” and side with Republicans to end it. Bessent told a news conference that the shutdown was starting to “cut into muscle” of the US economy. “We believe that the shutdown may start costing the US economy up to US$15 billion a day,” he said. The wave of...

Economics

7 d. ago Treasury Secretary Bessent says US wants to derisk with China, not decouple

Treasury Secretary Bessent says US wants to derisk with China, not decouple  Fox Business

Events

7 d. ago Treasury Secretary Bessent says a stock market decline won't deter the U.S. from taking strong action against China

Treasury Secretary Bessent says a stock market decline won't deter the U.S. from taking strong action against China  CNBC

Economics

7 d. ago US Treasury Secretary Criticizes China as Bessent Accuses Beijing of Threatening Global Stability

US Treasury Secretary Criticizes China as Bessent Accuses Beijing of Threatening Global Stability  WION

Events

8 d. ago Trump Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Rages at China for Retaliating to His Boss’ Threats

Trump Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Rages at China for Retaliating to His Boss’ Threats  The Daily Beast

Politics

8 d. ago Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent blasts China as Beijing threatens "hellfire" over trade war

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent blasts China as Beijing threatens "hellfire" over trade war  tag24.com

Events

9 d. ago Treasury Secretary Bessent accuses China of 'financing war' as US

Treasury Secretary Bessent accuses China of 'financing war' as US-China trade tensions escalate  Fox Business

Events

9 d. ago Treasury Secretary Bessent to discuss China with allies this week

Treasury Secretary Bessent to discuss China with allies this week  Investing.com

Politics

1 week ago US launches US$20b financial lifeline for Argentina, buys pesos in rare move

The United States rushed to stabilise Argentina’s economy on Thursday, offering US$20 billion in financing and carrying out a rare intervention in currency markets to prop up the peso after weeks of sharp declines. Washington has finalised a US$20 billion currency swap framework with Argentina’s central bank, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a social media post. The US also directly purchased pesos, he said, a move that follows unsuccessful efforts by Argentine authorities to stabilise...

Economics