Top White House adviser says no trade meetings with China cancelled

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A top economic adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday pushed back against reports that a preliminary trade meeting between U.S. and Chinese officials was cancelled, saying the story was not true.

"With respect, the story is not true," White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told CNBC.

The Financial Times, citing people briefed on the talks, reported earlier on Tuesday that the Trump administration had rejected an offer from China for preparatory trade talks this week ahead of high-level negotiations scheduled for next week.

The Financial Times also referred to the preparatory meeting as having been cancelled. Separately, CNBC also reported the meeting had been called off.

The proposed trip by Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen and Vice Finance Minster Liao Min was offered to pave the way for talks between Chinese Vice Premier Liu He and top U.S. officials set for Jan. 30-31.

U.S. stocks extended losses and the dollar weakened against the Japanese yen after the FT report on concern the trade war between the world's two biggest economies will continue and ultimately harm the global economy.

(Reporting by Timothy Ahmann and Makini Brice; Editing by Mohammad Zargham and Leslie Adler)