The official representatives of the USA and China are working on the final stages of trade negotiations, the signing ceremony of which is expected by the end of May, AFP reported quoting The Wall Street Journal.

Citing an unnamed source, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer was expected to travel to Beijing for a new round of face-to-face talks the week of April 29. During shuttle diplomacy in recent months, US and Chinese officials have alternated between projecting optimism and warning that success in their high-stakes talks is not guaranteed.

However, Beijing agreed to a key US demand — a binding enforcement mechanism to prevent Beijing from backsliding on its commitments.

The United States and China imposed tariffs on more than $360 billion in two-way trade since last year, weighing on both countries' manufacturing sectors and unnerving global stock markets. To help reduce Beijing's soaring US trade surplus, Chinese officials have offered to increase purchases of American farm goods and energy exports.