Some companies in China are making new purchases of US agricultural products, official Xinhua News Agency reported yesterday.

China 's purchase of US agricultural products is considered a signal that the bilateral trade negotiations will resume soon.

Xinhua said, "Some Chinese companies have asked US exporters to buy agricultural products and applied for additional tariff exemptions on these products."

In order to meet the demand of Chinese consumers, the correspondent explained that related Chinese companies are willing to import agricultural products in the United States.

According to reports, the Customs Bylaws Committee of the State Council will collect experts to examine applications for tariff exemption.

Xinhua said, "The Chinese authorities say the United States is walking in direct contact with China and hopes to carry out its promises in good faith."

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Shijiazhuang agreed to resume trade negotiations at the end of last month at the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, and the United States agreed not to impose additional tariffs during the negotiations.

President Trump said he could ease the sanctions on Huawei, and Mr. Shi said he was willing to buy agricultural products from the United States.

But Trump recently complained that China, unlike his promise, did not buy large quantities of agricultural produce in the United States.

China 's editor - in - chief, Global Times, said the US and China could soon start face - to - face trade negotiations, saying that Chinese companies have begun preparing for imports of US agricultural products.

"This is an important part of the issue," he said, "as both sides have recently expressed favors," he said, suggesting that China and the US trade talks will resume soon.

The two sides have been on the phone for face-to-face negotiations.

Chinese Finance Minister Liu Hsieh and US Treasury Secretary Robert Licht, US Treasury Secretary and US Treasury Secretary Stephen Mengshin have spoken on Tuesday.

The high - level talks of the US - China trade negotiating team are second only to the nine days since the two leaders met in Osaka.

President Trump said Manshin had "productive dialogue" with China.

Mansushin said that if the telephone conversation with China is productive, he and Li Wai Hei will be able to go to Beijing and negotiate face-to-face.

The trade negotiations between the two sides were stranded in May and there is not much progress after agreeing to a ceasefire in Osaka.

The gap between the two countries is still large for the key issues.

China is stressing that the two sides must reach an agreement on "win-win" on the basis of mutual respect and equality.

(yunhap news)