US-China economic talks kick off in Madrid amid tariff truce
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and China's Vice Premier He Lifeng are sitting down in Madrid from September 12-18, 2025.
They're set to discuss economic security, trade issues, and what's next for TikTok as both sides try to keep things constructive.
This is all happening ahead of a possible Xi-Trump summit in South Korea next month.
Why this meeting is crucial
This meeting comes right before a US-China tariff truce expires in November—so if talks go south, we could see another round of trade battles (the US already has steep tariffs on Chinese goods).
Trump's also hinting at new tariffs because of China's support for Russia.
Plus, TikTok is back in the spotlight over US national security worries about Chinese tech.
What happens here could shape everything from your favorite apps to global prices and future relations between these two superpowers.