Who is He Lifeng, the Chinese official leading high-stakes US trade talks?

He Lifeng, China's Vice Premier and close ally of Xi Jinping, is set to lead crucial trade talks with the US in Switzerland amid rising tensions, as both sides face escalating tariffs

He Lifeng, a longtime associate of Chinese President Xi Jinping, is set to lead high-level trade discussions with the United States on Saturday in Switzerland. The Chinese vice premier, who has gradually earned a reputation among international investors as a capable troubleshooter, will meet US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and chief trade negotiator Jamieson Greer amid escalating trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies, news agency Reuters reported. 

Over recent weeks, the US and China have imposed steep tariffs exceeding 100 per cent on each other’s imports. While President Donald Trump has publicly called on Xi to discuss a potential agreement, observers believe any meaningful progress will depend on He, who manages Beijing’s economic and trade policies with Washington, the news report said.

 

 

From party loyalist to effective operator

In interviews with Reuters, 13 foreign investors and diplomats who interacted with He over the past year described a notable transformation in the 70-year-old. Initially seen as a rigid party official with limited English skills and a tendency to stick to scripted remarks, He is now viewed as more self-assured and pragmatic.     

  “He has impressed them with his ability to get things done,” one US businessperson told Reuters, referencing the positive impression He left during a major business forum in Beijing last month. 

According to a review of his public engagements, He Lifeng has held over 60 meetings with foreign officials and executives in the past year — up from 45 in the 12 months after he became vice premier in March 2023. His wide-ranging influence includes oversight of China’s financial sector, regulatory frameworks, and trade policy.

 

Balancing outreach and orthodoxy

Despite his refined diplomatic style, He is not seen as a policy innovator, foreign businessmen told Reuters. A US executive said his appeal may stem more from US political unpredictability than his own ideas. 

Formerly China’s top economic planner, He backs an export-driven model. “He’s Xi’s chief lieutenant for building a trillion-dollar surplus,” one businessman said. “On the daily level, He will be defending China’s trade surplus,” added Wen-Ti Sung, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub, calling the issue vital for job creation.

 

Taking China’s economic message abroad

He Lifeng is expanding China’s international economic outreach with upcoming talks in France, following earlier discussions in Switzerland. His efforts come amid prolonged US-China trade tensions and a broader push to strengthen ties with major economies like Japan and the EU. 

He succeeded Liu He, a US-educated economist known for his fluent English and role in previous trade negotiations. While He holds a PhD in economics, his career has mostly focused on domestic matters. 

In July, some US business leaders found He underwhelming. “He didn’t look particularly vigorous,” one attendee noted, citing the large entourage that accompanied him. 

  Compared to more outgoing predecessors, He appeared reserved. In February, he played down Japan’s concerns over rare earth exports and citizen safety.     

  A US executive once said talking to He was like “talking to ChatGPT”, but recent meetings suggest improved communication. A foreign official praised He’s clarity, policy influence, and insight into China’s economic challenges.

 

From bureaucrat to political heavyweight

He Lifeng’s rise traces back to Fujian province, where he and Xi Jinping first forged their close working relationship in the 1990s. He even attended Xi’s wedding, Reuters previously reported. 

In 2009, He was assigned to Tianjin, where he earned the nickname “He the Demolisher” due to large-scale redevelopment projects that, while modernising the city’s image, significantly added to its debt burden. 

Alfred Wu, a China scholar at the National University of Singapore, said He’s approach to economic governance mirrors that of other local officials of the era. “He was big on real estate and urban redevelopment,” Wu noted, describing He as “a typical local bureaucrat and a very typical protégé of Xi Jinping.” 

The news report quoted Wu as saying, “His number one priority is implementing Xi’s directives, which puts him in more of a subordinate position.”