Xi to press the case for early BIT

Negotiations on the China-United States Bilateral Investment Treaty will make up most of the discussions during President Xi Jinping's forthcoming state visit to the US, the Ministry of Commerce said on Wednesday.

The visit will speed up and upgrade trade, economic cooperation between the two nations and bolster bilateral relations, said Shen Danyang, the ministry spokesman.

"Xi's upcoming state visit to the US is a matter of primary importance for Sino-US relations, and will exert a profound influence on the bilateral relationship and economic cooperation," he said.