<p>Beijing and Washington will soon hold a call on trade, China's Commerce Ministry said Thursday, after reports that planned high-level talks on the "phase one" trade agreement between the two countries were postponed.</p>.<p>The US and China signed the accord in January, bringing a partial truce in their lingering trade war, and obliging Beijing to import an additional $200 billion in American products over two years, ranging from cars to machinery to oil to farm products.</p>.<p>The phase one deal also called for officials to hold a "check-in" every six months -- but neither government has confirmed that the talks were planned or later postponed.</p>.<p>"The two sides have agreed to hold a call in the near future," Ministry of Commerce spokesman Gao Feng said at a press briefing Thursday when asked if trade talks would be rescheduled.</p>.<p>He didn't give any further details.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/us-china-relations-headed-toward-a-point-of-no-return-866036.html" target="_blank">US-China relations headed toward a point of no return</a></strong></p>.<p>US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin reportedly were scheduled to hold a video conference with China's Vice Premier Liu He last weekend according to the reports, including from Bloomberg.</p>.<p>The <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/coronavirus-live-news-covid-19-latest-updates.html" target="_blank">Covid-19</a> pandemic has put pressure on the agreement and China's purchases of those goods have been lagging.</p>.<p>US President Donald Trump in recent weeks has stepped up rhetoric against China ahead of what's expected to be a tough fight for a second term -- with the election in November -- raising questions about the deal's fate as well as the possibility of a phase two agreement.</p>.<p>Tensions before the two countries have risen in recent months over a host of issues including blame for the pandemic and China's policies in Xinjiang and Hong Kong.</p>
<p>Beijing and Washington will soon hold a call on trade, China's Commerce Ministry said Thursday, after reports that planned high-level talks on the "phase one" trade agreement between the two countries were postponed.</p>.<p>The US and China signed the accord in January, bringing a partial truce in their lingering trade war, and obliging Beijing to import an additional $200 billion in American products over two years, ranging from cars to machinery to oil to farm products.</p>.<p>The phase one deal also called for officials to hold a "check-in" every six months -- but neither government has confirmed that the talks were planned or later postponed.</p>.<p>"The two sides have agreed to hold a call in the near future," Ministry of Commerce spokesman Gao Feng said at a press briefing Thursday when asked if trade talks would be rescheduled.</p>.<p>He didn't give any further details.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/us-china-relations-headed-toward-a-point-of-no-return-866036.html" target="_blank">US-China relations headed toward a point of no return</a></strong></p>.<p>US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin reportedly were scheduled to hold a video conference with China's Vice Premier Liu He last weekend according to the reports, including from Bloomberg.</p>.<p>The <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/coronavirus-live-news-covid-19-latest-updates.html" target="_blank">Covid-19</a> pandemic has put pressure on the agreement and China's purchases of those goods have been lagging.</p>.<p>US President Donald Trump in recent weeks has stepped up rhetoric against China ahead of what's expected to be a tough fight for a second term -- with the election in November -- raising questions about the deal's fate as well as the possibility of a phase two agreement.</p>.<p>Tensions before the two countries have risen in recent months over a host of issues including blame for the pandemic and China's policies in Xinjiang and Hong Kong.</p>