BEIJING — China has promised to ease restrictions on imports of U.S. beef and speed up work on opening its market for government purchases of software and other goods.

The pledges Friday came as U.S. and Chinese trade and agriculture envoys ended a regular high-level dialogue.

A Chinese deputy commerce minister, Wang Chao, said the two sides agreed to "promote U.S. beef exports to China" but gave no details. Beijing banned U.S. beef in 2003 due to fears of mad cow disease. It has promised in recent years to ease those restrictions but effectively maintained its ban.

Chinese officials also promised to submit a new proposal next year to join the Government Procurement Agreement, which extends the World Trade Organization's free-trade principles to purchases by governments.