America's Lighthizer, Mnuchin to travel to China next week

America's top trade negotiators will travel to Beijing next Tuesday with a view to having a draft deal in place by May.

"[Next Tuesday's talks] will cover trade issues including intellectual property, forced technology transfer, non-tariff barriers, agriculture, services, purchases and enforcement," the White House said in a statement.

The visit by American officials, including US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and the Secretary of the Treasury, Robert Mnuchin, would be followed by another to Washington from Chinese officials, including Vice Premier Liu He.

Both sides were hoping to have a draft agreement in place by May, according to a person familiar with the matter quoted by Bloomberg News.

Officials wanted to announce the agreement and the details of the signing summit during Liu's visit, people familiar told the newswire.

Washington and Beijing had been in regular contact via teleconference since Liu last visited the US capital.