Top Chinese official heading to Washington for trade talks

China’s economy czar will join trade talks in Washington later this week, the Associated Press reported Tuesday.

Vice Premier Liu He will lead a Chinese delegation to meet with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Thursday and Friday to try to resolve the trade dispute involving the two nations.

{mosads}The White House confirmed Monday that talks would continue this week ahead of the 90-day deadline set by President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Buenos Aires in December.

If the two countries do not reach a deal by March 2, the U.S. has said it will increase existing 10 percent tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports to 25 percent.

Lighthizer will head the U.S. negotiating team along with Mnuchin, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, economic adviser Larry Kudlow, and trade adviser Peter Navarro.

China and the U.S. “will also discuss China’s pledge to purchase a substantial amount of goods and services from the United States” at the meetings, according to the White House.