Beijing expressed hope on Thursday that lengthy trade negotiations with the United States will be resolved soon, issuing a tentatively optimistic outlook ahead of President Donald Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month.

The U.S. and China have been in talks looking to redo trade deals ever since Trump first slapped Beijing with tariffs in February 2025, citing a “national emergency.” A trade war was sparked as Beijing targeted the U.S. with retaliatory tariffs, particularly after Trump issued his “Liberation Day” tariffs in April 2025.