BEIJING (Reuters) – China customs vice minister Zou Zhiwu said Tuesday that China’s imports from the United States rebounded in November and December, and that positive U.S.-China trade sentiment has boosted companies’ confidence in December.

Zou added that Chinese agricultural imports from the United States were at 14.1 billion yuan ($2 billion) in December, and that soybean, pork imports rebounded significantly in the month.

China and the United States are due to sign a Phase 1 trade deal this week, although significant issues still remain at play in the long-standing trade war between the world’s two largest economies.