US President Donald Trump is causing stress in world trade with his high tariffs.

The US and China are seeking a rapprochement in the tariff dispute this weekend in Geneva. It will be the first time since US President Donald Trump significantly tightened tariffs that senior officials from both sides have discussed the issue.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng will meet in the Swiss city.

Since taking office in January, Trump has steadily increased tariffs on Chinese goods, most recently to 145 percent. China responded with retaliatory tariffs of 125 percent. So far, the countries have not been engaging with each other, but have tried to create the impression that they each have the upper hand.

Recently, however, there have been increasing signs that the US is willing to reduce tariffs. Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social that an 80 percent tariff on Chinese products might be appropriate. An expert at the risk analysis firm Eurasia Group, Dan Wang, told the BBC that recent signals from both sides suggest an imminent de-escalation.

China emphasized in advance that the US had requested talks with Beijing. Beijing had long insisted that the US lift the tariffs before trade talks. However, after weighing Chinese interests and appeals from US companies and consumers, the agreement was reached, a Commerce Department spokesperson said. The US must correct its mistakes.

US Treasury Secretary Bessent told Fox News that the goal is not a trade agreement, but rather de-escalation. The US and China are both interested in an agreement. The current level of tariffs amounts to a trade embargo. The US simply wants fair trade.

On Thursday, Great Britain became the first country to announce a deal with Trump. The US will reduce threatened tariffs on a certain number of cars from Great Britain from 27.5 percent to 10 percent. In return, trade barriers on agricultural products will be reduced.

The EU is still negotiating. If there is no agreement, additional US tariffs will come into effect in July. Brussels plans to respond with additional special levies on products such as cars, sweet potatoes, and whiskey.