President Donald Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping had called him, and there are active talks to strike a trade deal, according to Time. But a Chinese official has denied that any such talks are happening.

President Donald Trump asserted on Thursday that trade talks between the U.S. and China are underway, pushing back against Chinese claims that no discussions have taken place to ease the ongoing trade war.

The chancellor says she “understands what President [Donald] Trump wants to address” with his tariffs, ahead of talks with her US counterpart in Washington on Friday. Rachel Reeves said there were similarities with the way both the US and UK governments had come to power off the back of voter frustration with the economy.