US, China Agree on Preliminary Trade Framework Before Trump–Xi Meeting

The deal still needs approval of two countries’ leaders.

U.S. Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent reacts during a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Oct. 26, 2025. Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo

The United States and China have reached a preliminary deal on a range of trade issues, representatives from both sides said on Oct. 26, after two days of negotiations in Malaysia.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that a “very substantial framework” was established with Chinese trade negotiators in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, that would avoid additional 100 percent tariffs on Chinese products.