Hong Kong (CNN Business) President Joe Biden's top trade negotiator spoke for the first time with her Chinese counterpart by phone on Wednesday. It's a sign that Washington and Beijing may be ready to pick trade talks back up, even as relations between the two remain tense. US Trade Representative Katherine Tai had a "candid" virtual meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He to discuss "the importance of the trade relationship " between the two nations, according to Tai's office. The phone call didn't mark an official resumption of US-China trade talks, but Tai did discuss "her ongoing review of the US-China trade relationship, while also raising issues of concern," according to her office. "The two sides believe that developing bilateral trade is very important," the ministry said in a statement sent Thursday local time.

Source: CNN May 27, 2021 09:21 UTC