FILE PHOTO: U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer (7thR), Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow and White House trade adviser Peter Navarro pose for a photograph with China's Vice Premier Liu He (7thL), Chinese vice ministers and senior officials before the start of U.S.-China trade talks at the White House in Washington, U.S., February 21, 2019. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China said on Saturday that it welcomed the release of language from the United State Trade Representative’s office (USTR) delaying a scheduled hike in U.S. tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods.

In a statement posted on the website of the Ministry of Commerce, citing an unidentified official at China’s State Council Tariff Commission, China said that it was aware of the USTR’s announcement to maintain tariffs at 10 percent until further notice, and welcomed the step.

The USTR released language to delay a scheduled hike in tariffs on Chinese goods from 10 percent to 25 percent on Friday, ahead of the publication of a notice next Tuesday.

President Donald Trump had announced the delay on Sunday as trade talks between the two sides had made progress.