China's top trade official has invited U.S. negotiators to take part in a fresh round of face-to-face talks, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.

During a phone call thought to have been made late last week, Chinese Vice Premier Liu He reportedly invited U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to Beijing to sit down for further negotiations.

It was not clear whether U.S. negotiators had accepted Liu's invitation. However, the Journal said U.S. trade officials were willing to meet with their Chinese counterparts.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative was not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC on Thursday morning.

The report comes shortly after U.S. legislation on Hong Kong had threatened to derail trade discussions between the world's two largest economies. On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed two bills intended to support protesters in Hong Kong. It prompted Beijing to accuse the U.S. of interfering in domestic affairs.