China's Vice Premier Liu He gestures next to U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin as they pose for a group photo at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China March 29, 2019. Nicolas Asfouri/Pool via REUTERS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House said on Friday that the United States and China made progress toward a trade agreement during “constructive discussions” this week in Beijing.

“The two parties continued to make progress during candid and constructive discussions on the negotiations and important next steps,” the White House said in a statement that echoed comments made earlier by U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.