China commerce ministry would welcome U.S. trade delegation visit

FILE PHOTO: Chinese and U.S. flags are set up for a meeting during a visit by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao at China's Ministry of Transport in Beijing, China April 27, 2018. REUTERS/Jason Lee/File Photo

BEIJING (Reuters) - China and the United States are in close contact over trade, and any U.S. trade delegation would be welcome to visit, a commerce ministry spokesman said on Thursday.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping this month agreed to a truce that delayed the planned Jan. 1 U.S. increase of tariffs on $200 billion (159 billion pounds) worth of Chinese goods while they negotiate a trade deal.