China Wrote the Trade Deal on the Table — And Washington Is Deciding Whether to Sign It
The most important detail in this story isn't that a US-China trade deal may be coming — it's who drafted it. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says Washington is weighing a 'bigger deal' that Beijing proposed, hours before Xi Jinping arrives for a state visit. When the other side writes the framework, the other side sets the defaults, and that quietly changes what any final agreement will look like.
Bottom Line
THE BOTTOM LINE: The US-China trade relationship may be about to get a new foundation, but the blueprint is Beijing's, and it's being negotiated through informal financial channels under summit deadline pressure — three conditions that historically favor the party that came prepared. Whether this becomes a durable agreement or another Phase One-style announcement depends on details no one has seen yet. Keep in mind the specifics rest on a single outlet's reporting until other sources confirm them.