Senior negotiators from the United States and China will meet in Paris this weekend to outline the framework for an upcoming summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, a meeting that could significantly influence the trajectory of global trade and geopolitical relations.

The discussions, scheduled for Sunday and Monday, are expected to focus on a cluster of sensitive issues including tariffs, technology exports, fentanyl trafficking and the politically charged Taiwan question.

According to details reported by Bloomberg, the US delegation will include Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, while China will be represented by Vice Premier He Lifeng. Their discussions are intended to prepare concrete deliverables for the leaders’ summit scheduled to take place in Beijing between March 31 and April 2.

The upcoming summit arrives at a delicate moment for US China relations. Despite deep strategic competition between the two economies, both sides have strong incentives to stabilize engagement after years of trade disputes, technology restrictions and geopolitical friction.

One of the central issues on the negotiating table is tariffs. Trade tensions between Washington and Beijing have persisted since the earlier rounds of tariff escalations that reshaped global supply chains. Although both economies have adapted in the years since, tariffs remain a powerful bargaining tool for the United States and a major source of economic pressure for Chinese exporters.

Technology controls will also feature prominently in the discussions.

Washington has imposed restrictions on the export of advanced semiconductors and chipmaking equipment to China, particularly those associated with high-performance computing and artificial intelligence. Exports of advanced chips, including those produced by Nvidia Corp, remain a sensitive subject as the United States attempts to slow China’s technological advancement in critical sectors.

Another issue expected to come up is the possibility of increased Chinese investment into the United States. Investment flows between the two economies have declined sharply over the past decade due to rising national security scrutiny and regulatory barriers. Any discussion of restoring investment channels would signal an effort to rebuild limited economic cooperation even amid strategic rivalry.

The Paris negotiations will also address fentanyl, an issue that has become increasingly central in US domestic policy debates. Washington has repeatedly called on Beijing to do more to curb the supply chains of precursor chemicals used in fentanyl production, which US officials say contribute to the opioid crisis.

Perhaps the most politically sensitive topic remains Taiwan. The island continues to be a flashpoint in US China relations, particularly over US arms sales to Taipei. In mid February, President Trump indicated that discussions on the issue had taken place with Xi and said a decision would be made soon. Chinese officials have reiterated their longstanding position that the United States must handle arms sales to Taiwan with caution.

Despite these tensions, Beijing appears keen to maintain the planned summit. While China has condemned the US military campaign against Iran, officials have given no indication that the disagreement will derail diplomatic engagement with Washington. Maintaining communication with the United States remains important for China, particularly at a time when global economic growth is slowing and export markets remain uncertain.

The United States also faces practical constraints that encourage continued dialogue. Washington has been trying to reduce reliance on Chinese rare earth supplies, but alternative supply chains remain limited in the near term. This reality gives both sides an incentive to avoid any breakdown in negotiations that could disrupt critical industrial inputs.

Early planning concerns have been raised within Chinese policy circles, with some officials privately suggesting that the short preparation timeline may limit the number of agreements that can be finalized at the leaders’ summit. However, analysts say the Paris discussions are unlikely to derail the broader diplomatic effort.

Melanie Hart, senior director at the Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub, has indicated that while the scale of the summit could shift due to evolving geopolitical conditions, neither side appears willing to abandon the meeting altogether. Instead, the final scope of the summit may depend heavily on whether negotiators in Paris can identify areas where incremental progress is possible.