The U.S. and China reached a partial agreement Oct. 11 that would broker a truce in the trade war and lay the groundwork for a broader deal that Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping could sign later this year, according to people familiar with the matter.

President Donald Trump said the first day of high-level trade negotiations between the U.S. and China went “very well” and he’ll meet the top Chinese negotiator on Oct. 11.

In the trade war with the U.S., China’s tariffs have targeted agricultural goods for a couple main reasons: They make up a large proportion of U.S. exports to China, but also because they strike at the heart of President Donald Trump’s base of support in farm country.

BEIJING — China demanded Washington lift newly imposed sanctions on Chinese tech companies but said Oct. 8 envoys will go ahead with a U.S. trip for trade talks despite the latest spike in tensions.

Chinese officials are signaling they’re increasingly reluctant to agree to a broad trade deal pursued by President Donald Trump, ahead of negotiations this week that have raised hopes of a potential truce.

The United States’ merchandise trade deficit with China narrowed in August as exports rose to a five-month high, a possible sign of goodwill from the Asian nation as the countries try to resolve their trade war.

The European Union is weighing an aggressive new approach to its trade dispute with the U.S., signaling a willingness to engage in the combative tactics embraced by President Donald Trump and risking a further deterioration in transatlantic relations.

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro the week of Sept. 23 will lead a delegation to Geneva to try to reform the 145-year-old global system of coordinating postal policies, a method he says treats American companies unfairly.

WASHINGTON — The United States and China traded conciliatory gestures, raising hopes they can de-escalate a standoff over trade that has shaken financial markets and cast gloom over the global economy.

Volkswagen AG and other carmakers warned that trade tensions risk dragging the global economy into a recession as the fallout starts to hit consumers.