Lahore, Jan. 17 -- China and the United States signed the longawaited phase-one trade deal on Thursday morning Beijing Time, signaling a thaw in economic and trade relations between the world's two largest economies after nearly two years of trade friction. The deal, agreed in mid-December following a dozen rounds of negotiations led by China's top trade negotiator Liu He and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, was signed by US President Donald Trump and China's Vice-Premier Liu He at a ceremony at the East Room of the White House, which was attended by about 200 representatives from business, government and diplomatic circles. The vital trade truce, which came 22 months after trade tensions flared between the world's top two economi...