Senior officials from the United States and China have signaled a renewed commitment to stabilizing their complex relationship, following a series of high-level talks and policy shifts that could reshape the landscape of global trade and education. On December 5, 2025, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng engaged in a virtual meeting with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, focusing on the ongoing implementation of agreements forged between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping at last October’s summit in Busan.
According to Xinhua News Agency, the conversation was “in-depth and constructive,” with both sides agreeing to “expand the list for cooperation and shorten the list of problems.” The officials assessed the recent economic and trade negotiations held in Kuala Lumpur positively, marking a notable shift from the tense climate that had previously threatened to spiral into a full-blown trade war. The consensus: keep the lines of communication open, maintain the momentum on collaboration, and address lingering disputes with a sense of urgency and mutual respect.
“During today’s constructive call with Vice Premier He Lifeng, @USTradeRep Greer and I discussed the ongoing implementation of the Busan arrangement between President Trump and President Xi, which is going well. I also reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to continued engagement with China,” Bessent posted on X (formerly Twitter), as reported by Transport Topics.
This spirit of cooperation is a marked departure from the earlier months of 2025, when the US had raised tariffs on Chinese goods by a staggering 145%, and both sides appeared locked in a zero-sum standoff. The October 2024 Busan summit proved to be the turning point. There, Trump and Xi agreed to a one-year extension of the tariff truce, a reduction in US tariffs on Chinese fentanyl-related products from 20% to 10%, and a lowering of other trade barriers. President Trump stated at the time that “President Xi will take active measures to block the inflow of fentanyl,” according to The Asia Business Daily.
But the path to lasting stability is far from straightforward. Practical issues—from soybean orders and computer chips to rare earth shipments—remain unresolved, and the fate of certain high-profile business assets, such as the US operations of TikTok, is still up in the air. As reported by the South China Morning Post, both sides acknowledged these challenges, but agreed to “promote the stable development of bilateral trade and economic ties.”
Meanwhile, the thaw in relations is not confined to the economic sphere. Cooperation is also resuming in areas like drug enforcement. The Chinese Ministry of Public Security announced that, “in line with the consensus between the two heads of state, we have achieved results in joint investigations with the United States,” and that a recent virtual meeting was held to discuss the next phase of cooperation tasks. This echoes the broader theme of the latest round of talks: a commitment to follow through on summit agreements and ensure that progress is not derailed by old grievances or new provocations.
Education is another arena where the winds of change are blowing. On December 2, 2025, President Trump announced that 600,000 students from China would be allowed to study in the United States. This move, revealed during an Oval Office event with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, comes after a period of heightened scrutiny over foreign students. In June, the US administration had suspended Harvard University’s ability to admit foreign nationals, citing national security concerns and allegations of antisemitism on college campuses. But Trump’s latest statement signaled a pivot toward engagement, albeit with caveats.
“I hear so many stories [about how] we’re not gonna allow their students. We’re gonna allow their students to come in. We’re gonna allow 600,000 students. It’s very important, but we’re gonna get along with China,” Trump said, as reported by the Daily Caller News Foundation. He added, “We have much bigger and better cards than they do. They have some cards. We have incredible cards. But I don’t want to play those cards. If I did, that would destroy China.” While the rhetoric was characteristically blunt, the underlying message was clear: the US is open to cooperation, but reserves the right to act decisively if its interests are threatened.
The agreement to allow Chinese students back into US colleges and universities was reached in June 2025, following the Harvard suspension. Trump emphasized that this policy would be beneficial “as long as they did not pose a national security risk.” The balancing act between openness and vigilance remains a defining feature of US policy toward China, reflecting both the opportunities and anxieties that shape this pivotal relationship.
Trade negotiations are also moving forward, albeit with persistent obstacles. After the initial tariff hikes, the two countries negotiated for the US to levy a 30% tariff on Chinese imports, while China agreed to a 10% duty on US goods. The Busan arrangement extended the tariff truce and included commitments to expand soybean purchases by China, approve licenses for rare earth shipments, and address the status of TikTok’s US operations. Some of these elements, however, remain “works in progress,” as Transport Topics noted.
The December 5 call between Bessent, Greer, and He Lifeng followed a recent phone conversation between Trump and Xi, which itself came amid escalating tensions between China and Japan over Taiwan. Trump reportedly briefed Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on his exchange with Xi, underscoring the delicate geopolitical context in which US-China talks are unfolding. As Jamieson Greer remarked on December 4 at an event in Washington, “A lot of allies are interested in taking coordinated action, but the decision right now is we want to have stability in this relationship.”
Despite pressure from some Trump allies to adopt a more confrontational stance on economic and national security issues, the administration’s current priority is to avoid a repeat of the trade war that shook global markets earlier in the year. The two sides have agreed to continue consulting each other on narrowing the list of differences, with the goal of ensuring a “stable improvement in bilateral relations,” as Xinhua reported.
Yet, the mood remains cautious. While officials on both sides have praised the progress made since the Busan summit, they acknowledge that substantial work lies ahead. The next phase of cooperation, particularly in sensitive areas like technology and rare earths, will test the durability of the current détente. As the world watches, the stakes could hardly be higher—for the two superpowers, their trading partners, and the global economy at large.
For now, the message from Washington and Beijing is one of guarded optimism. Both sides appear determined to build on recent breakthroughs, even as they prepare for the inevitable challenges that will arise. Whether this spirit of collaboration can withstand the pressures of domestic politics, geopolitical flashpoints, and economic rivalry remains to be seen. But after a year of volatility and brinkmanship, the prospect of stability is, for many, a welcome change of pace.
