LONDON: China and the United States began a new round of trade talks in London on Monday (Jun 9), Beijing's state media reported, as the world's two biggest economies seek to shore up a shaky truce after bruising tit-for-tat tariffs.

"On Jun 9, local time, Vice Premier He Lifeng ... began holding the first meeting of the China-US trade consultation mechanism with the American side in London," state news agency Xinhua reported.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer are leading the US delegation, President Donald Trump announced on Friday.

China's foreign ministry announced at the weekend that He - who led Beijing's negotiating team at previous talks with the United States last month in Geneva - would head the team in London.

"The meeting should go very well," Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

His press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, told Fox News on Sunday: "We want China and the United States to continue moving forward with the agreement that was struck in Geneva."

While the UK government reiterated that it was not involved in the content of the discussions in any way, a spokesperson said: "We are a nation that champions free trade."

UK authorities "have always been clear that a trade war is in nobody's interests, so we welcome these talks", the spokesperson added.

Source: CNA.