FILE PHOTO: Chinese and U.S. flags flutter near The Bund, before U.S. trade delegation meet their Chinese counterparts for talks in Shanghai, China July 30, 2019. REUTERS/Aly Song

BEIJING (Reuters) - China’s Foreign Ministry said on Friday China and the United States have maintained close contact on bilateral trade issues.

Trump said on Thursday that the two countries would soon announce a new location at which he and Xi would sign a “Phase One” trade deal.

But speaking at a daily news briefing in Beijing, ministry spokesman Geng Shuang dismissed as speculation talk the two leaders will meet in Macau.

(This story corrects lead and headline to say that the two sides are maintaining close contact on trade issues, not a meeting of the two leaders)