Trump announced "great progress made" after U.S.-China trade talks

U.S. President Donald Trump declared Saturday that there was"great progress made" in trade negotiations between the White House and China's communist regime, amid a possible rapprochement in the trade war. "A very good meeting today with China, in Switzerland. Many things discussed, much agreed to. A total reset negotiated in a friendly, but constructive, manner. We want to see, for the good of both China and the U.S., an opening up of China to American business. GREAT PROGRESS MADE!!!" the Republican leader posted on his Truth Social account.

The U.S. president's post was his first words after a day of talks between senior U.S. and Chinese officials in Switzerland, at the residence of the Swiss ambassador to the UN. The talks lasted more than eight hours and marked the first major step toward the two powers achieving a de-escalation of the trade war.Delegations from both countries will meet again this Sunday after a marathon day in Switzerland.

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng led the Asian power's delegation; and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent led the U.S. delegation.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer was present at the meeting; and it was not confirmed whether Wang Xiaohong, a senior Chinese security official and Xi Jinping's right-hand man, finally attended the Geneva talks. His participation was planned because the fentanyl crisis and how China combats the trafficking of chemicals for its production are at the center of the table.

The meeting comes weeks after the world's two biggest economic powers imposed tariffs far in excess of 100% on each other's goods.

Shortly before Trump's remarks at Truth Social, China's state-run Xinhua news agency, which is considered the de facto mouthpiece of the regime when it does not speak outofficially, detailed that the talks had taken place in a cordial atmosphere, adding that they represented "an important step toward resolving the issue". The Chinese news agency added that, "However, an ultimate solution requires sufficient strategic patience and determination, as well as the just support of the international community."

The U.S.-China trade war, coupled with President Donald Trump's decision to impose reciprocal tariffs on dozens of other countries,created disruptions in supply chains, instability in financial markets and stoked fears of a sharp global recession.

While the location of the talks at the Swiss diplomatic center was not disclosed in the first instance, witnesses and the press saw both delegations return after a lunch break to the U.N. ambassador's private villa, Reuters reported.

Some journalists and media reported after the lunch break that the Chinese delegation had abruptly left the negotiating table without offering explanations to the U.S. officials. However, the resumption of dialogue and the convening of a new round of talks for this Sunday suggest that such reports were inaccurate or outright false.

The Chinese state agency's comment is in line with earlier words from Bessent, who had said that the meetings in Switzerland would focus on "de-escalation" and not on a "grand trade deal."