U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross says U.S. and Chinese officials have discussed specific American export items Beijing might buy as part of its pledge to narrow its trade surplus with the United States.

The two sides began a new round of talks in Beijing this weekend aimed at settling a simmering trade dispute.

Ross gave no details at the start of his meeting Sunday with China's top economic official, Vice Premier Liu He. But Chinese envoys promised after the last high-level meeting in Washington in mid-May to buy more American farm goods and energy products.

President Donald Trump is pressing Beijing to narrow its multibillion-dollar trade surplus and is threatening to hike duties on up to $150 billion of Chinese imports.