Mon Sep 15 09:25:47 UTC 2025: **US and China Resume Trade Talks Amid New Trump Threat Over Russian Oil**

**Madrid, Spain** – High-level US and Chinese officials are meeting in Madrid for a second day of trade negotiations aimed at easing tensions between the world’s two largest economies. The talks, led by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, follow six hours of discussions on Sunday and are scheduled to continue until Wednesday.

The negotiations occur against a backdrop of strained relations, with disagreements over trade practices, technology restrictions, and China’s purchase of Russian oil. Adding to the complexity, former President Trump recently threatened to impose tariffs of up to 100% on Chinese goods if Beijing doesn’t use its influence to end the war in Ukraine.

“China has a strong control, and even grip, over Russia, and these powerful Tariffs will break that grip,” Trump posted on his social media platform.

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has criticized efforts to punish countries buying Russian oil, warning that sanctions would only “complicate” the situation in Ukraine. Coinciding with the trade talks, China launched two new investigations of the US chip sector, following Washington’s addition of 23 more Chinese entities to its restricted trade list.

Another pressing issue is the deadline for Chinese company ByteDance to divest from TikTok or face a ban in the US. While the enforcement of the ban, included in legislation passed by the US Congress last year with overwhelming bipartisan support, has been delayed on three occasions by Trump, the deadline looms.

Experts remain cautiously optimistic about the potential for a breakthrough. Heiwai Tang of the Asia Global Institute noted that both countries possess leverage in the negotiations. Deborah Elms of the Hinrich Foundation suggested a potential agreement could involve resolving the TikTok issue by the end of Trump’s term.

A key objective of the talks is believed to be arranging a summit between former President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, potentially on the sidelines of the APEC summit in South Korea in October. “I think there is a strong interest in getting Trump and Xi together in a matter of weeks,” Elms said.

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