China calls claims of 'trade imbalance' a 'discourse trap'

International trade is a matter of mutual choice and involves neither forced buying nor forced selling, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Monday, rejecting claims of the "trade imbalance" as a "discourse trap" fabricated by ill-intentioned forces seeking to disrupt China-Africa friendship.

China-Africa trade posted strong performance in the first half of the year, with total imports and exports reaching 1.41 trillion yuan ($207.6 billion), a record high for the same period, Lin told a regular news briefing.

The structure of bilateral trade also continued to improve, he said. According to statistics, capital goods and intermediate goods accounted for 75 percent of China's exports to Africa.

Noting that the potential for African exports to China continued to be unleashed, Lin said in May and June, following the implementation of zero-tariff treatment for all African countries having diplomatic relations with China, China's imports from Africa reached 193.8 billion yuan, up 23.5 percent year-on-year.

Against the backdrop of spillovers from regional hotspots and the resurgence of unilateralism and protectionism, China has continued to expand high-standard opening-up through its zero-tariff policy, demonstrating its responsibility as a major country, Lin said.

The policy has been widely welcomed by African countries and highly commended by the international community, he added.

Beijing will continue to facilitate China-Africa trade and inject fresh impetus into building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era, Lin said.