Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will speak with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng by phone this evening, ahead of a likely in-person meeting next week in Malaysia, Bloomberg reported.

Bessent told reporters at a White House event on Friday that the call is scheduled for around 8:30 to 9:00 p.m., and will be followed by a delegation-level discussion in Kuala Lumpur to lay the groundwork for a potential meeting between the U.S. and Chinese presidents.

The upcoming talks will mark the fifth round of direct negotiations between Bessent and He, following previous sessions in Madrid, Stockholm, London, and Geneva. These meetings reflect a broader trend of more frequent, targeted U.S.-China engagements aimed at managing tensions in trade, finance, and technology sectors, including disputes over export controls and supply chain dependencies.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s capital, will host the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations next week, drawing leaders from around the globe and providing a platform for the U.S.-China discussions within a wider multilateral context.