United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday that he believes China remains open to trade discussions, but warned that if Beijing is not willing to engage, Washington has “substantial levers we can pull.”
Speaking to Fox Business, Bessent noted that the US could “move more aggressively” than China has so far, emphasizing that while Washington does not seek to decouple from China, “Beijing is sending a decoupling message.”
“We don’t want to decouple, but China is sending a decoupling message,” Bessent said, adding that “everything is on the table.” However, he expressed optimism that trade tensions could still be de-escalated, saying he is “confident” that both sides can find common ground.
Bessent also confirmed that US President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea, adding that he hopes to meet his own Chinese counterpart ahead of the presidential summit.
The Treasury Secretary further said that the Trump administration has already coordinated with key allies, including India, to ensure a unified approach to managing trade relations and economic security concerns with China.
