Economic risks are growing as the two sides appear to disagree about whether they are even engaged in tariff negotiations.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly urged Xi to call him for discussions about a potential trade deal after slapping 145% tariffs on most Chinese goods as part of his "Liberation Day" salvo on April 2. But any off-ramp to the economic tensions will likely run through He, who is Xi's Sino-American trade tsar.