Geneva - Officials from the U.S. and China began trade-related talks here on Saturday, the first face-to-face conversation since President Trump's new tariffs on 145% of Chinese goods.

The meeting, known for its discretion and conflict resolution, is the first potential effort to end the trade war, which has plagued financial markets in recent weeks and has caused billions of dollars in import disruptions in the United States and China.

The U.S. delegation was led by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and the only player identified by the Chinese was the country's vice-president of economic affairs, who lived.

The talks were held at Villa de la Grande Mountain and enjoy the views of Lake Geneva used by the Swiss ambassador to the United Nations. No public statement has been issued since the early hours of Saturday.

Just days after these discussions about the economic significance of the earthquake, Britain became the first country to reach its own limited trade agreement with the Trump administration - although this leaves it still at 10% tariffs at most UK exporters.

But for Bessent, China has been a "missing work", as he explained in a recent interview with Fox News, one of the only countries to date that has refused to participate in trade discussions.

Bessent said he initially visited Geneva only to get closer to a separate updated deal arrangement with Swiss authorities. They told reporters at a press conference Friday that they hope their agreement with Washington will be reached within weeks.

Meanwhile, Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter said her country would be happy to help promote dialogue between the two global economic superpowers, when the expected impact of tariffs had severe impacts on stock prices and economic forecasts.

"There is a chance to be taken away by China and the United States now," Keller-Sutter told NPR. "We really hope that this platform we can provide will also lead to results because I'm talking about the interests of the world economy and world trade."

When he arrived in Geneva on Friday, Besent met with senior Swiss officials, including Keller-Sutter. She told him that she hopes that the Holy Spirit of Rome (during the election of the new pope) in the past week may also travel to Geneva this weekend to help you push everything.

But a quick resolution seems unlikely, and this initial conversation may only herald the beginning of a months-long negotiation marathon.

“The two delegations will feel each other – neither side has benefited particularly from the ongoing iteration of the current trade war.”

"It will be the first step in the dance they try to feel: 'Well, what your victory is like, it's the price we are willing to pay,' when trying to convey the same thing in the other direction."