Mubasher: Beijing on Thursday said that China and the US agreed to hold high-level trade talks in early October in Washington.

The announcement came after a call between China’s Vice Premier Liu He and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, China’s Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on its website.

“Both sides agreed that they should work together and take practical actions to create good conditions for consultations,” the ministry said.

Trade representatives from the world’s biggest two economies, will hold talks in mid-September ahead of the high-level talks next month, the ministry said.

The announcement was confirmed by a spokesman for the US Trade Representative’s office, who said that both sides will hold ministerial-level trade talks in Washington “in the coming weeks.”

The US started to levy 15% tariffs on a variety of Chinese imports over the weekend, while China responded with implementing new duties on US crude oil shipments.

US tariff action led Beijing to file a complaint against Washington before the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Meanwhile, the US plans to raise the tariff rate as from 1 October to 30% from 25% duty to which a $250 billion worth of Chinese goods is subject.