U.S. and China consider $30B in tariff cuts ahead of Trump‑Xi Beijing talks

President Donald Trump’s administration and Chinese negotiators are weighing tariff cuts on roughly $30 billion of imports ahead of Trump’s planned talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, according to Reuters and the Associated Press. The discussions center on a narrow package covering non-sensitive goods rather than a broad rollback of trade barriers, the reports said. Existing U.S. restrictions on strategic technology exports are not part of the current relief package, according to the same reports. The talks come as both governments try to frame any deal as a targeted trade adjustment rather than a full reset in economic ties. ### Which tariffs are under discussion? Reuters and AP reported on May 13 that negotiators are considering tariff cuts on about $30 billion of imports. The proposed relief is focused on non-sensitive goods, the reports said, leaving the broader architecture of U.S.-China tariffs largely intact for now. Because the package is limited, the talks appear aimed at selected product lines rather than a sweeping dismantling of duties across the bilateral trade relationship. (whitehouse.gov) The White House has previously described its China trade approach as one that reduces some tariffs while preserving leverage in other areas. In a May 12, 2025 fact sheet and a joint statement on a U.S.-China economic and trade meeting in Geneva, the administration said it had reached earlier understandings with Beijing while maintaining broader policy tools. Those official statements did not amount to a full normalization of trade ties. (whitehouse.gov) ### Why is the package being kept narrow? Strategic technology controls remain in place under the current discussions, according to Reuters and AP. That distinction separates consumer and industrial goods relief from the U.S. position on advanced technology, an area Washington has continued to treat as a national and economic security issue. (whitehouse.gov) Chinese official channels have also continued to present trade engagement and strategic controls as separate tracks. China’s State Council website and the Ministry of Commerce’s English-language site on May 14 continued to publish trade and investment material, but neither showed a public announcement of a broad tariff normalization package tied to the Beijing talks. ### How does this fit with earlier U.S.-China trade moves? (whitehouse.gov) The White House said on May 12, 2025 that Trump had reached an “initial trade deal” with China and separately described a later agreement as a trade win that reduced some tariffs and ended retaliation. Those statements show that the administration has already pursued partial agreements with Beijing rather than a single comprehensive settlement. (english.gov.cn) The current negotiations therefore build on an existing pattern of managed trade, with tariff adjustments tied to specific bargaining rounds and summit diplomacy. That is an inference from the official White House record and the reported scope of the latest talks, not a publicly announced new doctrine. ### What are Trump and Xi expected to decide in Beijing? (whitehouse.gov) Beijing is the expected venue for the next high-level step, with Trump and Xi set to discuss the trade package alongside broader bilateral issues, according to the user-provided Reuters and AP references and corroborating official government channels describing ongoing U.S.-China engagement. No public text released by the White House or Chinese government that was accessible here set out a final tariff schedule or exact product list for the proposed $30 billion package. (whitehouse.gov) Any formal tariff changes would most likely appear in summit readouts, government fact sheets, or trade statements issued after the Beijing meetings. As of May 14, 2026, the official material available publicly pointed to continued negotiations rather than a completed agreement. (whitehouse.gov)