Li to visiting US lawmakers: Let's advance relations

China is ready to work with the United States to "tangibly press ahead" with the bilateral investment treaty negotiations and to resolve divergence and frictions through dialogue and consultations, Premier Li Keqiang told visiting US lawmakers on Monday.

The delegation, including Senator Steve Daines of Montana, arrived in Beijing shortly after the first meeting between President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump on Thursday and Friday.

In answer to a question proposed by the US lawmakers at the meeting in Beijing on Monday, Li said China is also willing to expand two-way trade, investment and cooperation between them.

Bilateral commodity trade reached $519.6 billion last year, and China has become the United States' fastest growing export market outside North America.

Li noted China's role as the world's largest developing country and the US role as the largest developed country.

Maintaining healthy, stable development of the relationship serves not only both countries' interests, but is also helpful to peace, stability, development and global prosperity, Li said.

Su Ge, president of China Institute of International Studies, said as long as bilateral investment treaty negotiations make breakthroughs, "greater need for Chinese investment in the US will be unleashed".

"And a considerable number of Chinese companies hope to take this as a chance to tap into the US market and globalize their operations," Su said.

Economic and trade ties have been a cornerstone of China-US relations, and trade sanctions or a trade war would benefit neither side, Su added.

On the meeting between Xi and Trump, Li said the two leaders reached consensus on a range of issues and clarified the general picture of further pushing China-US ties forward.

"We are ready to boost exchanges and dialogue with the US, to respect each other, seek mutual benefits and push for the greater development of China-US ties," Li said. The US lawmakers told Li that the United States considers its relationship with China as the most important of its bilateral ties.

The US Congress is ready to boost exchanges with China and expects more visits to China will be made by US lawmakers to boost friendly exchanges and lay a solid foundation for mutually beneficial cooperation between the two, they said.

Top legislator Zhang Dejiang also met with the US delegation on Monday.

zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn