Trump says U.S.-China trade talks 'going well' but wants to see Xi

[January 31, 2019]    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump was upbeat on Thursday about high-level trade talks with Chinese officials in Washington but said no final deal would be made until he meets with Chinese President Xi Jingping.

Containers are seen at the Yangshan Deep Water Port in Shanghai, China April 24, 2018. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo

The United States and China opened a pivotal round of talks on Wednesday aimed at bridging deep differences over China's intellectual property and technology transfer practices and easing a months-long tariff war.

Trump was scheduled to meet with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He at the White House as talks conclude on Thursday.

"China’s top trade negotiators are in the U.S. meeting with our representatives. Meetings are going well with good intent and spirit on both sides," Trump said on Twitter.

"No final deal will be made until my friend President Xi, and I, meet in the near future to discuss and agree on some of the long standing and more difficult points."

Trump said negotiators are working to complete a deal, leaving "NOTHING unresolved on the table" before the March 1 deadline agreed by both sides.

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Susan Heavey; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Bill Trott)

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