CHINA and the U.S. have reached consensus on some areas in their trade negotiations, including agricultural products, energy and automobiles, China’s Ministry of Commerce said Thursday.

The ministry said details of the general agreement will be released later.

Asked whether China will continue to buy soybeans from the U.S., Gao Feng, the ministry’s spokesperson, told a regular news briefing, “Soybeans are an important commodity for China’s import as there is a huge demand at home.”

China, the world’s second largest economy, currently maintains close contact with the U.S. in terms of economic and trade issues, and hopes the U.S. will keep an open mind to negotiations, Gao added.

Gao also mentioned Chinese Vice Premier Liu He held phone conversations with U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Tuesday.

A timetable for pushing forward the next stage of trade negotiations was also discussed.

Gao also called for proper use of trade remedy measures alongside World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and made the commitment that China will safeguard global free trade and a multilateral trading system.

(CGTN)