Ministry: More China-US business cooperation urged in meeting

China welcomes United States businesses to invest and operate in the country as always and hopes the American business community will enhance cooperation with Chinese enterprises to achieve common development and mutual benefits, a senior official has said.

Those in the US advocating cutting off economic relations with China have gone against common sense and economic rules, and harmed the fundamental interests of businesses and consumers in both countries, Vice-Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang said at a video conference with the American business community on Wednesday.

The meeting, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry, was attended by the American Chamber of Commerce and its members such as Coca-Cola, Honeywell and Ford Motor Company.

China urges the US to stop "hysterical anti-China clamor and practices that harm both sides", Zheng said.

As relationship between China and the US is sliding down to its lowest point, Zheng is the third minister-level diplomat who has spoken out on bilateral ties in two weeks, following State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Vice-Foreign Minister Le Yucheng.

China and the US are highly complementary in terms of economy as the two countries are at different development stages, he said, adding that bilateral trade cooperation is determined by the international division of labor and is also the choice of enterprises and consumers of the two countries.

China is committed to implementing the phase one trade deal with the US, he said, urging Washington to stop restriction and discrimination against Chinese enterprises and create favorable conditions to fulfill the deal.

He accused the US of abusing the concept of national security to suppress Chinese high-tech companies, saying it will only force China to accelerate independent innovation, push the development of China's high-tech industry, and make US companies lose market share and cooperation opportunities.

Sino-US relations are standing at a crossroads at present, facing a severe and complicated situation that has been rarely seen since the establishment of diplomatic relations, Zheng said.

Out of ideological prejudice, some in the US have spared no efforts in smearing and attacking China and obstructing China-US contact and cooperation by going against facts and misleading the American people, which poses challenges to the common interests of the two peoples, he said.

In good faith and sincerity, he said China strives to promote the development of bilateral ties that are rooted in mutual respect and win-win cooperation, instead of conflict and confrontation.

Zhao demanded Washington to refrain from "rendering good for evil" and repeatedly challenging China's core interests.

"Any bullying and injustice imposed by the US on China will face firm counter actions, and its attempt to obstruct China’s development will not succeed," he said.

According to the statement, the US business community said it attaches great importance to the Chinese market and is optimistic about China's economic development prospects.

The community welcomes the Chinese government's reform and opening-up measures and is willing to continue to take root in China, the statement said.

A stable Sino-US relationship is critical to the cooperation between the companies from both countries, and the US business community opposes the "decoupling" of the two economies, they said.