In anticipation of a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in about two weeks, high-level officials from the United States and China are set to convene in Paris. On December 12, the US Treasury Department announced that Treasury Secretary Scott Vessen will meet with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on December 15-16 to negotiate agenda items for the summit. Vessen highlighted that trade and economic discussions between the US and China have progressed thanks to mutual respect between the two leaders, hinting that this meeting will lay the groundwork for the forthcoming summit. Since May of the previous year, Vessen and Vice Premier He have played a role in mediating conflicts through several high-level economic and trade talks, followed by a stability phase marked by tariff reductions and controls on rare earth exports after the summit on October 30 last year.