The hope, and the expectation, is that when U.S. officials meet their Chinese counterparts in Stockholm to talk economics and trade next week, they will build on a recent lessening of tensions as the U.S. tries to set up a fall meeting between the countries’ leaders and lay the groundwork for another loosely defined trade pact.

As the two biggest economic targets in Donald Trump’s trade war, some analysts thought the European Union and China could move closer together and stake out common ground.