China will "significantly" increase purchases of U.S. goods and services in an effort to reduce the United States' massive trade deficit, the two governments said Saturday.

A joint statement issued after two-day bilateral trade talks through Friday in Washington, however, did not touch on the U.S. demand that China narrow America's goods trade deficit with it by at least $200 billion by the end of 2020.

Beijing also pledged to strengthen intellectual property protections. But the two sides said they will "continue to engage at high levels" and "seek to resolve their economic and trade concerns in a productive manner," a sign that they have yet to address worries that heightened bilateral trade tensions may spark a global trade war.

During the talks, senior officials from the world's two largest economies agreed to make "meaningful increases" in U.S. agriculture and energy exports, according to the statement.

The United States will send a team to China to work out the details, but the statement did not refer to the composition of the team nor the timing of a dispatch.

The two sides also agreed to boost trade in manufactured goods and services and said that China will advance amendments to laws and regulations related to intellectual property rights, including the Patent Law.

The talks brought together a Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier Liu He, a top economic adviser to President Xi Jinping, and a U.S. team involving Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.

"There was a consensus on taking effective measures to substantially reduce the United States' trade deficit in goods with China," the statement said.

"To meet the growing consumption needs of the Chinese people and the need for high-quality economic development, China will significantly increase purchases of United States' goods and services," it said.

The meeting came as Washington has threatened to impose tariffs on up to $150 billion of Chinese imports in protest at Chinese intellectual property and technology transfer policies. Beijing has responded with its own tariff threats.

"Both sides attach paramount importance to intellectual property protections, and agreed to strengthen cooperation," the joint statement said.

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has accused China of "unfair" trade practices including alleged intellectual property and technology theft.

Trump pledged on the campaign trail to reduce Washington's trade deficit with Beijing.

The U.S. goods trade deficit with China totaled $375.23 billion last year, nearly half the U.S. trade deficit globally, according to U.S. Commerce Department data.