The Trump administration says its tariffs imposed two years ago on more than $200 billion in Chinese goods were justified.

Sunday's announcement came after Washington agreed to postpone a planned tariff hike on $160 billion of Chinese goods and to cut in half penalties that already were imposed.

The administration agreed to suspend a tariff hike on $250 billion worth of Chinese imports that was set to take effect Tuesday. And China agreed to buy up to $50 billion in U.S. farm products.

It is the latest sign of easing tensions before a new round of talks aimed at curbing a bruising trade war.

China on Wednesday announced it will exempt American industrial grease and some other imports from tariff hikes in a trade war with Washington but kept in place penalties on soybeans and other major U.S. exports ahead of negotiations next month.

The Chinese Commerce Ministry gave no details but said the two sides want to create “favorable conditions.”

The United States and China went ahead with their latest tariff increases on each other’s goods Sunday, potentially raising prices Americans pay for some clothes, shoes, sporting goods and other consumer items in advance of the holiday shopping season.

Expect a direct hit on many U.S. consumers from U.S. President Donald Trump's latest round of tariffs on Chinese imports. He had no intention of pulling back on import taxes set to kick in Sunday.

Both sides are maintaining effective communication, China's Foreign Ministry said earlier on Friday.

'We are very concerned that this tariff action will create further economic uncertainty,' say American shoe companies opposed to higher taxes on imports from China.