China, US agree to meet in October for trade talks

U.S. and Chinese officials have agreed to meet in early October for a new round of negotiations amid the continuing trade war between the nations, officials from both nations said Wednesday night.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin spoke with Liu He, Beijing’s top trade negotiator, and they agreed on further talks in Washington D.C., with consultations to take place in mid-September to prepare, the Chinese Commerce Ministry announced, according to CNBC, which was the first to report news of the meeting.

{mosads}A U.S. Trade Representative spokesperson confirmed China’s announcement to The Hill and said preliminary meetings will happen this month. 

“Ambassador Lighthizer and Secretary Mnuchin spoke with Vice Premier Liu He of China on Wednesday night regarding U.S.-China trade talks,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “They agreed to hold meetings at the ministerial level in Washington in the coming weeks.  In advance of these discussions, deputy-level meetings will take place in mid-September to lay the ground work for meaningful progress.”

“Both sides agreed they should work together and take practical actions to create favorable conditions for the negotiations,” the Chinese Commerce Ministry said in a statement Wednesday, based on CNBC’s translation. 

A White House spokesperson was not immediately available for comment. 

The U.S. and China have been in an escalating trade war for months, as the Trump administration continues to place tariffs on Chinese goods amid the stalemate in negotiations. 

Some experts have warned that President Trump’s tariffs may be leading to a recession, though the president and administration officials have defended the tariffs and claim they harm only China, not American consumers or farmers.

Trump on Tuesday sought to pressure China into coming to the table on a trade deal, warning it against trying to drag out negotiations past the 2020 election.