Senior officials from the US and China commenced a new round of trade negotiations in Seoul, South Korea, just hours before US President Donald Trump's scheduled visit to Beijing. The talks, which began at Incheon International Airport, are led by Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. This marks the seventh round of discussions since Trump returned to office and reignited a global tariff war. Unlike previous meetings that extended for nearly two days, these talks are anticipated to conclude within hours as Bessent is set to travel to China later the same day. Topics on the agenda include Chinese purchases of US soybeans, beef, and aircraft, as well as Beijing's export controls on critical minerals, with a key suspension related to these controls set to expire in November. The ongoing US-Israeli conflict with Iran is also expected to be a topic of discussion. Trump's visit to China will be the first by a US president in over eight years, with several top US business leaders, including Tim Cook of Apple and Elon Musk of Tesla, expected to accompany him.