In June, the two countries reached an agreement to ease tensions. The United States said it would pull back export restrictions on computer chip technology and ethane, a feedstock in petrochemical production. And China agreed to make it easier for U.S. firms to get access to rare earths.

The US and China have extended their trade truce for another 90 days, just hours before the world's two biggest economies were set to raise tariffs on imports of each other's goods. On Monday, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to keep the pause in place until 10 November, while Beijing also announced an extension.