A new round of trade talks between the United States and China began today, Sunday, in the Spanish capital, Madrid, aimed at easing ongoing tensions.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bissent heads the US delegation, while the Chinese delegation includes Vice Premier He Lifeng.

The talks come amidst sharp disagreements, most notably the TikTok issue, with Washington’s deadline for its sale ending on September 17, in addition to the exchange of high tariffs imposed since the beginning of the year.

Despite a temporary truce ending in November, Beijing has recently launched investigations into the US semiconductor sector, further exacerbating the fragility of the situation.