FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping shake hands after making joint statements at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, November 9, 2017. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj/File Photo/File Photo

BEIJING (Reuters) - China and the United States made progress during their recent trade talks over structural issues such as forced technology transfers and intellectual property rights, China’s commerce ministry said on Thursday.

The three-day talks in Beijing that wrapped up on Wednesday were the first face-to-face negotiations since U.S. President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping met in Buenos Aires and agreed on a 90-day truce in a trade war.

This week’s talks were lengthy because both sides were serious and honest, the ministry’s spokesman Gao Feng told reporters.