Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and US President Donald Trump. (Photo: AFP / VNA)

A White House official said on Friday that preparations were under way and the talks would continue to focus on pressing Beijing to make structural reforms.

The White House announced a time frame for the Beijing talks in a statement. It said lower-level officials will kick off the meetings on Monday, led on the American side by Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Jeffrey Gerrish. Higher principal-level talks will take place Thursday and Friday with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

The two sides are trying to hammer out a deal ahead of the March 1 deadline   when US tariffs on Chinese imports are scheduled to increase to 25 percent from 10 percent.