The top economic officials from the US and China have spoken for the first time since Donald Trump returned to the White House. They both expressed "serious concerns" about a variety of issues.



US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent talked online with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, who oversees economic policy, on Friday.



The Treasury Department released a statement saying Bessent expressed concerns about what he calls "imbalanced" and "unfair" economic and trade policies. It added that he stressed the Trump administration's commitment to protecting American workers and national security.



The US has accused China of being the primary source of the chemicals used to make fentanyl. The statement said Bessent conveyed worries about China's anti-narcotic efforts.



Chinese state-run media said He expressed his own concerns. They include additional tariffs imposed by Trump and other restrictive measures.



However, both sides said they recognize the importance of economic and trade relations, and they agreed on the need to continue dialogue.



US President Donald Trump slapped an additional 10 percent tariff on all Chinese imports on February 4. Beijing retaliated on February 10 by hiking tariffs on some US imports.