Blog: U.S.-China trade talks in Beijing raise hopes that a deal may be reached

Vice President Liu He, Xi’s top economic advisor, showed up unexpectedly for the talks among dozens of other Chinese officials, leaked photos showed, a sign of the importance placed on the two-day meeting by the Chinese government. The presence of such a senior official was a surprise. The smaller U.S. delegation was led by Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Jeffrey Gerrish, and included agricultural and energy officials.