China's continued opening-up measures have nothing to do with the ongoing trade friction with the United States, said Ministry of Commerce spokesman Gao Feng on Thursday.
The measures are major strategic decisions made based on an accurate estimation of the country's current development level in order to lead opening-up in the new era to a higher level, Gao said.
Similarly, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said unequivocally Wednesday that the measures China will take have nothing to do with the trade friction.
"Anyone who has some knowledge of how the Chinese government operates will understand that the rollout of such an important decision involving all these major measures will take some time to formulate, deliberate, and improve until everything is ready. It is impossible to make such a decision at short notice," said Geng.
Geng stressed that China will continue to adhere to its fundamental national policy of opening-up and pursue development with its door wide open.
"China's door of opening-up will not be closed and will only open even wider! This is our consistent position," Geng said.
Last year's 19th Communist Party of China National Congress report and this year's government work report drew up guidance and plans for future opening-up efforts. Tuesday's announcement of wider opening-up measures is a solid step to implement the two reports, according to Geng.
"It was made in line with our own needs, timetable and roadmap," Geng said. "China is determined to open wider to the outside world, no matter what others do." ' As of now, government officials of the two countries have never engaged in any negotiations concerning the trade friction, according to Gao.
"There are principles to follow for negotiations. The U.S. side has not shown any sincerity to negotiate," said Gao.
China will fight till the very end if the United States insists on unilateralism and trade protectionism, Gao said.
