China and the United States held vice ministerial-level trade talks on Thursday and Friday, and conducted constructive discussions on economic and trade issues of mutual concern.

The two sides also discussed the specific arrangement for the 13th round of China-U.S. high-level economic and trade consultations scheduled for October in Washington. The two sides agreed to continue to maintain communication on related issues.

The delegation was led by Liao Min, deputy director of China's Office of the Central Commission for Financial and Economic Affairs and Vice Finance Minister.

On September 5, Chinese Vice Premier Liu He had a phone conversation with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, at the invitation of the U.S., with both sides agreeing to hold trade talks.

The U.S. Trade Representative's office (USTR) also issued a brief statement characterizing the two days as "productive" and that a principal-level trade meeting in Washington would take place in October as previously planned.

USTR issued three Federal Register notices on Friday to exclude a wide range of products from tariffs in response to requests from U.S. companies, which argued that the levies would cause economic hardship.

The 437 exempted products range from printed circuit boards for computer graphics processors to dog collars, laminated wood flooring and miniature Christmas lights.

Read more: China adds soybeans and pork to its tariff exemption list