China and the United States on Sunday said progress had been made after a weekend of talks aimed at de-escalating trade tensions sparked by US President Donald Trump's aggressive tariff rollout.

Vice Premier He Lifeng said the China-US high-level meeting on economic and trade affairs were in-depth, candid and constructive.

"This is an important first step," He said, adding there were plans for a joint communique to be published on Monday.

The vice premier said the two sides reached consensus on a series of major issues and had agreed to establish an economic and trade consultation mechanism.

He said China was ready to work with the United States to actively implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state during their phone call on January 17.

The meetings marked the first time senior officials from the world's two largest economies have met face-to-face over trade since Trump slapped steep new levies on China totalling 145 percent.

In retaliation, China put 125 percent tariffs on US goods.

"We've made substantial progress between the United States and China in the very important trade talks," US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters in Geneva after the second day of discussions.

"The talks were productive," he said, taking no questions but promising a "complete briefing" on Monday on the outcome.

Ahead of the meetings at the villa residence of Switzerland's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Trump signalled he might lower the tariffs, suggesting on social media that an "80 percent Tariff on China seems right!"

However, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later clarified that the United States would not lower tariffs unilaterally. China would also need to make concessions, she said.

Vice Premier He went into the discussions buoyed by Friday's news that China's exports rose last month despite the trade war. (Agencies)