Chinese commerce minister calls for deeper US-China cooperation on trade
Nations should work together to ensure trade serves as the ‘engine of China-US relations, not as a stumbling block’, Wang Wentao said
Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao called for China and the United States to make joint efforts to manage uncertainties and expand cooperation on trade during a meeting with the US ambassador to China, David Perdue, in Beijing on Thursday.
The two countries should maintain a “correct understanding” of the fact that China and the US must find ways to coexist and that win-win outcomes could be achieved, Wang said, according to a statement released by the commerce ministry after the meeting.
“Economic and trade ties should continue to serve as the ballast and engine of China-US relations, not as a stumbling block or a source of conflict,” Wang said, adding that the two sides should uphold the bilateral economic and trade consultation mechanism put in place earlier this year.
But Wang also expressed concerns over a range of US policies during the meeting, including its unilateral imposition of tariffs, export controls, restrictions on two-way investments, tougher visa screenings and restrictive clauses in agreements with third parties, according to the statement.
China was willing to work with the US to implement the consensus reached by Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, Wang said.