Meeting brightens China-U.S. biz ties

China will firmly promote high-standard opening-up to the outside world and hopes that the member companies of the American Chamber of Commerce will continue to invest in the China market, a senior Chinese government official said.

Wang Shouwen, vice-minister of commerce, met with the chief executive of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Suzanne Clark in Beijing earlier this week. Clark was leading a delegation on a visit to China, the Ministry of Commerce said.

Wang said China-U.S. economic and trade cooperation is a stabilizing force that helps strengthen bilateral relations. China would like to jointly drive the stable and healthy development of economic and trade relations between the two countries.

The two sides exchanged views on issues such as China-U.S. economic and trade relations and the development of U.S. enterprises in China.

According to the latest survey report released by AmCham China, 50 percent of the U.S. companies surveyed rank China as their top or among the top three investment destinations.

"U.S. companies have shown confidence in investing in China, which is another strong proof that China remains a global investment hot spot," He Yadong, a spokesman for the ministry, said during a news conference on Thursday.

"For four consecutive years, AmCham China has regarded the tension between China and the U.S. as the biggest challenge, demonstrating its earnest expectation for the stable development of relations between the two countries," He said.

The ministry said China, together with the U.S., would like to create a favorable environment for pragmatic cooperation between the business communities of the two countries.

Meanwhile, China will continue to optimize its business environment, implement 24 measures for foreign-invested enterprises and help solve related problems, the Ministry of Commerce said during the news conference.

The guideline on the 24 measures for foreign-invested enterprises was issued by the State Council, China's Cabinet, last year. The main focus is on ramping up efforts to attract foreign investment. At a roundtable meeting with foreign-invested enterprises held by the ministry on Wednesday, most foreign companies said the measures have strengthened their confidence in investing in China.

Over 60 percent of the measures have been implemented or much progress has been made. Next, the Commerce Ministry will continue to work with relevant departments and local governments to promote the implementation of the measures, it said.

But, the Alliance for American Manufacturing earlier urged the U.S. government to take steps to safeguard the U.S. auto industry by raising tariffs on Chinese-made vehicles.

The Commerce Ministry said such measures would hinder fair competition and, in the long run, hinder the development of the U.S. automotive industry itself. The ministry said it hopes that the U.S. will abide by the laws of market competition and create favorable conditions for the long-term growth of the automotive industry.

"Chinese-made vehicles are widely popular globally, thanks to technological innovation and excellent quality that took shape amid fierce competition, and not by offering low prices. In recent years, the U.S. has set up various obstacles and imposed tariffs to hinder the entry of Chinese-made cars into the U.S. market," He said.