US, China agree to keep communication channels open

Flags of the US and China

The US and China agreed to keep communication channels open following a phone call between senior officials from both sides yesterday, May 22, signaling continued high-level engagement after the two countries reached a 90-day trade truce.

According to a joint statement released on Friday, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu and his US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau shared views on a wide range of key issues during the call.

This development comes after both sides agreed during high-level talks held in Switzerland earlier this month to temporarily reduce most tariffs on each other’s goods, while continuing efforts to reach a broader agreement.

However, tensions remain despite the truce, as Chinese authorities rejected a US decision warning companies against using Chinese-made artificial intelligence (AI) chips, particularly those provided by Huawei Technologies.