FILE - In this Feb. 15, 2019, file photo, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, left, and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer walk together as they leave their hotel in Beijing. China says U.S. trade negotiators will arrive in Beijing late Thursday afternoon and start the new round talks with a working dinner. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
March 28, 2019 - 1:21 AM
BEIJING - China says U.S. trade negotiators will arrive in Beijing late Thursday afternoon and start the new round of talks with a working dinner.
Chinese commerce ministry spokesman Gao Feng said the discussions are expected to last for a full day Friday.
The talks are aimed at ending a tariff war over Beijing's technology ambitions amid official suggestions they might be making progress.
Thursday's meeting is the latest in a rapid-fire series of exchanges seeking to end a conflict that is disrupting trade in goods from soybeans to medical equipment.
President Donald Trump expressed optimism last week, saying, "we're getting very close."
The dispute erupted after Trump raised duties last year on Chinese imports in response to complaints Beijing steals or pressures companies to hand over technology.
News from © The Associated Press, 2019