US, China seek to avoid trade war escalation, salvage Trump-Xi meeting in Malaysia talks

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FILE PHOTO: U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer looks on, following a meeting between Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, on the day of U.S.-China talks on trade, economic and national security issues, in Madrid, Spain, September 15, 2025. REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura/File Photo

KUALA LUMPUR - Top economic officials from the U.S. and China will face off in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday to try to avert an escalation of their trade war and ensure that a meeting happens next week between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The talks on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit will seek to find a way forward after Trump threatened new 100% tariffs on Chinese goods and other trade curbs starting on November 1, in retaliation for Chinas vastly expanded export controls on rare earth magnets and minerals.

The recent actions, which also include an expanded U.S. export blacklist that covers thousands more Chinese firms, have disrupted a delicate trade truce crafted by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng over four previous meetings since May.

The three officials on Saturday will try to pave the way for Trump and Xi to meet next Thursday at an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea, a high-stakes conversation that could revolve around some