U.S. and China Discuss Creating Board of Trade in Recent Bilateral Call

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer announced that American officials discussed the creation of a possible Board of Trade in a call with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on Thursday. The proposed Board of Trade could serve as a mechanism to help manage economic relations between the United States and China.

The call focused on exploring tools for bilateral economic management. United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer described 'America First' as a core policy during a roundtable with Canadian attendees, noting no return to prior trade dynamics. A roundtable with Greer took place in Washington on Wednesday.

About 40 people attended the roundtable hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Canada in Washington on Wednesday. Conservative MPs Jamil Jivani, Michael Chong, and Shuvaloy Majumdar attended the roundtable in Washington on Wednesday. Multiple executives from oil and gas companies attended the roundtable in Washington on Wednesday.

Mark Wiseman sat two seats away from Greer during the roundtable in Washington on Wednesday. Alberta’s Washington trade representative Nathan Cooper attended the roundtable in Washington on Wednesday.

Manitoba’s trade representative Richard Madan attended the roundtable in Washington on Wednesday. The roundtable meeting lasted more than an hour. Greer told attendees the Trump administration is not looking to disrupt the energy relationship between the United States and Canada.

The United States is looking to work with Canada on energy and critical minerals development in ways that would be mutually beneficial to both countries. Greer advised against using energy and critical minerals as leverage in CUSMA talks, stressing mutually beneficial approaches.

Concessions. Greer and Deputy United States Trade Representative Jeffrey Goettman had a productive meeting with Jivani, other Canadian government officials, and Canadian business leaders. The continental trade pact CUSMA is up for a mandatory review in 2026.

CUSMA sets up a three-way choice for each country to make in July: renew the deal for another 16 years, withdraw from it, or signal both non-renewal and non-withdrawal which would trigger an annual review for up to a decade. Greer said it’s unlikely the United States will rubber-stamp the CUSMA deal in July. Greer was in Mexico last week.

The first official CUSMA bilateral negotiating round between Mexican and American officials will take place next month. Ottawa has not started formal trade negotiations with the United States as of April 30, 2026. U.S. Mark Wiseman stated on April 23, 2026, 'Canada is ready and willing to commence any type of review process with the United States and also with Mexico.

, that it’s not been the federal government’s experience that people have gone to Washington and learned anything new, nor has it been that they have learned everything that is either being discussed on the table or where the negotiations are, and in the end, there is one negotiator for Canada and that is the government of Canada.

Negotiations between Canada and the United States were frozen last October.

Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc met with Greer in Washington last month. U.S. U.S. U.S. purchases of oil and energy.