UN chief says cooperation, dialogue needed on trade

International cooperation and dialogue are the way to solve trade disputes, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday.

"Trade wars are always bad for those involved in the trade war and for the international economy as a whole. We need to have international cooperation," Guterres said in an interview with Chinese media at United Nations headquarters in New York before his visit to China.

"Wherever there's a problem, there must be dialogue, there must be a serious discussion to overcome the problem," he said.