The U.S. treasury secretary and America’s top trade negotiator began talks with high-ranking Chinese officials in Switzerland Saturday aiming to de-escalate a dispute that threatens to cut off trade between the world’s two biggest economies and damage the global economy.

Switzerland's president lamented “disappointing” talks Friday with U.S. President Donald Trump's treasury secretary that did not ease stiff U.S. tariffs on Swiss goods, but expressed hope for a solution to a more consequential U.