Swiss president hopes ‘Holy Spirit’ might guide US-China weekend talks in Geneva over tariffs

GENEVA (AP) — 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.S.-China face-off on tariffs in Geneva this weekend.

Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter, who also serves as finance minister, said she was nonetheless encouraged by the talks with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent as Switzerland tries to wriggle out of hefty 31% U.S. tariffs of Swiss goods as part of Trump’s sweeping “reciprocal” tariffs on countries around the globe.

Their meeting was only an appetizer for the potentially market-moving talks Saturday and Sunday between Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Geneva. Keller-Sutter also met with the Chinese envoy, but said it was merely a courtesy.

As for the U.S.-China talks, the Swiss leader alluded to the election of the first U.S.-born pontiff, Pope Leo XIV, and quipped: “I said to Secretary Bessent that apparently the Holy Spirit was in Rome yesterday, and I hope that he will come to Geneva over the weekend.”

The talks have been shrouded in secrecy and the Chinese and U.S. sides have declined to specify where they will take place other than somewhere in Geneva, which hosted U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2021 — before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

While the U.S. administration has temporarily suspended the most severe tariffs against every target country except China, the 31% rate — if restored — would put Switzerland in a worse position than its neighbors in the European Union, which are to face 20% U.S. tariffs on EU goods.

The Swiss government said its talks Friday with Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer were “convivial and constructive” and were aimed to lay out the guidelines for a deal on the issue of customs duties to be discussed again in coming weeks.

On April 9 — a week after Trump announced the U.S. “reciprocal” tariffs — he spoke with Keller-Sutter by phone and later announced a pause in their implementation for 90 days and capped the additional U.S. tariffs at 10% for most countries, with the notable exception of China.

“Of course, it is disappointing,” Keller-Sutter said when asked about the lack of a deal in talks with Bessent, before alluding to her earlier phone conversation with Trump. “I also told President Trump that this was not fair. But on the other hand, you know, I mean, we’re not looking back, we are looking forward.”

“And we’re really encouraged by the talks we had that we’re going to find a solution, and the U.S. side really engaged with Switzerland also to find a swift solution,” she told reporters.

Keller-Sutter trumpeted Swiss investment in the United States, saying it has created 400,000 jobs and “average salary $130,000, which is a lot” in the United States. She said she didn’t know whether her call with Trump on April 9 convinced him to ease back on the tariffs, before adding with a laugh: “He should listen to women.”

Going into the weekend talks between Bessent and He, the U.S. slapped 145% tariffs on Chinese goods, and Beijing has responded with 125% tariffs on U.S. goods. Earlier Friday, Trump floated the prospect that those could be lowered sharply in a social media post.

“80% Tariff on China seems right!” Trump wrote on his social media account, before alluding to Bessent. “Up to Scott B.”