A USTR spokesman did not offer any further details about the deputy-level talks.
Earlier, U.S. Chamber of Commerce chief executive Tom Donohue said that U.S. Trade Representative Lighthizer told business executives that he was seeking a “real agreement” that addresses intellectual property and technology transfer issues first raised by the USTR two years ago.
Donohue, speaking at a news conference to urge congressional approval of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, said that Lighthizer “did indicate that there was some movement in the direction of purchasing of (U.S.) agricultural products and other issues.”
But Lighthizer gave no indication that the talks may produce an interim deal with a more limited scope, as suggested by some media reports, Donohue said.
“While I’m optimistic about it, I’m also a dead-ass realist and this is not a simple problem,” Donohue said of the new round of talks.
The world’s two largest economies have not held in-person talks since late July toward resolving their 14-month trade war.
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