In this March 5, 2018 photo, National People's Congress delegate Liu He attends the opening session of the National People's Congress, China's legislature, in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China. (WANG ZHAO / AFP)

BEIJING – Chinese President Xi Jinping's special envoy and Vice-Premier Liu He will visit the United States from May 15 to 19 for economic and trade consultations, according to China’s foreign ministry. 

Liu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chief of the Chinese side of the China-US comprehensive economic dialogue, will pay the visit at the invitation of the US administration, foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said Monday.

Liu will continue to hold consultations with the US economic team headed by the US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on economic and trade issues between the two countries, said Lu.

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The spokesperson also said China appreciates the US position on Chinese telecom equipment maker ZTE.

He made the statement in reference to US President Donald Trump’s tweet that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping were working together to give ZTE "a way to get back into business, fast" and that the US Commerce Department has been instructed to work on the issue. 

China is keeping close communication with the US on specific details and issues that the US side is concerned about, added Lu. 

"China stands ready to work with the United States to promote positive and constructive results in the forthcoming consultations," he said.