BEIJING — US and Chinese trade negotiators will resume talks in Washington in early October, Beijing said today, after new punitive tariffs raised fears of a breakdown in the protracted negotiations.

The world's two biggest economies have been embroiled in a tense year-long trade war, which escalated further on September 1 when both sides implemented fresh levies.

The negotiations were supposed to have resumed this month but the Chinese commerce ministry said Vice Premier Liu He, Beijing's point man on trade, agreed to October talks in a phone call with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Thursday.

The officials agreed to "work together and take practical actions to create favourable conditions for consultations", the ministry said in a statement.

It said the two sides would "maintain close communication" ahead of the talks.

The top officials last met in Shanghai in July for a round of trade talks, which were described as "constructive" but ended with no announcements.

US President Donald Trump announced afterwards he would increase tariffs on more than half-a-trillion dollars' worth of imports in a new round of punitive measures, prompting Beijing to respond with fresh tariffs on US goods worth US$75 billion. —  AFP