Vice-minister emphasizes China's desire to cooperate with US on trade

China is willing to communicate and coordinate with the United States to reduce bilateral trade and investment restrictions on the basis of the rules of the World Trade Organization, market economy and free trade and in accordance with the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, Wang Shouwen, vice-minister of commerce and China international trade representative, said on Thursday.

This year the United States will host a series of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings, which can be an opportunity for China and the US to conduct dialogue to address their respective economic and trade concerns, he said at a news conference.

He also said restrictive trade measures against China undermine the development of bilateral economic and trade relations, weaken the US' comparative advantage and the competitiveness of US products, and harm the confidence and willingness of enterprises from the two countries to strengthen cooperation.

The two countries need to create a stable and predictable trade and economic environment to enhance the confidence of businesses to cooperate, he said, adding he believes China-US economic and trade cooperation will reach new highs.