A Chinese official surprised the Trump administration by announcing plans to increase purchases of American soybeans in an Oval Office meeting with President Donald Trump, a senior U.S. official said Thursday as a round of trade talks concluded without a deal.

“Yes. The answer is yes. It was a surprise announcement in the sense I didn’t know about it until a very short time before,” U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer told Roll Call during a briefing with a group of reporters following several of days of talks with Chinese officials.

The announcement set off confusion inside the West Wing, with senior aides initially unsure whether the Chinese official indicated his government would increase its daily buys of U.S. soybeans to 5 million bushels or “tons,” as Trump himself said after the official made the announcement while seated across from his customary seat behind the Resolute Desk.

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Trump told reporters the Chinese official had said “per day,” but reporters who were in the Oval Office and closely reviewed the audio determined the Chinese official said “today,” meaning they were announcing it on Thursday.