A fourth round of major trade talks between China and the United States will unfold in Spain from September 14 to 17, with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng leading the Chinese delegation.

The world's two largest economies have already held three rounds of talks since May in Geneva, London, and Stockholm.

The first round, held in Geneva in mid-May, marked the first bilateral engagement since Washington imposed tariffs on Chinese goods. Led by He Lifeng, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the meeting established a consultation mechanism to maintain regular communication on economic and trade relations.

Following the talks, both sides issued a joint statement announcing tariff adjustment measures, including a 90-day suspension of 24 percent of U.S. tariffs along with corresponding countermeasures from China.

About a month later in London, the two sides reached a principled agreement to implement the Geneva framework and consolidate progress. China's international trade representative, Li Chenggang, said the outcomes were expected to help build trust and promote steady, healthy growth in bilateral economic and trade ties.

With the 90-day tariff pause reached in Geneva talks due to expire on August 12, the third round of talks took place in Swedish capital Stockholm in late July.

The two-day meeting saw both sides agree to push for an extension of the pause on 24 percent of U.S. tariffs and China's corresponding countermeasures.

According to a joint statement issued later, the U.S. will extend its tariff suspension on China for another 90 days, and China will likewise continue suspending its earlier tariff hike on U.S. goods for 90 days. This means the pause first reached during the Geneva talks will remain in effect until November 20.

Though the world's two largest economies have so far failed to strike a comprehensive trade deal that would roll back Trump's tariffs, experts agree that China and the U.S. are steadily headed in the right direction of resolving economic and trade issues through dialogue and consultation.

The meeting presented an opportunity for both sides to clarify the outstanding economic and trade issues and help steer bilateral relations back on track, said Sun Taiyi, an associate professor of political science at Christopher Newport University in the U.S., when asked to comment on London meeting.

"I think they are developing a much deeper understanding of the pain points of each side and also of the economics associated with any adjustments to tariffs or non-tariff barriers or export controls," John Quelch, executive vice chancellor of Duke Kunshan University, told CGTN.

As the trade talks enter "deep-water zones," the issues become more profound and the challenges more pressing, which require both sides to engage in candid communication to further enhance mutual understanding, reduce misunderstandings, and strengthen cooperation.

The planned upcoming trade talks in Spain indicate that while the two sides have yet to reach a consensus on certain trade issues, their communication mechanism is becoming routine – a strong and important signal not only to the two major trading partners but also to the world that needs greater predictability and certainty, Li Yong, a senior research fellow at the China Association of International Trade, told Global Times.

(Cover: Flags of China and the United States. /VCG)