China to address ‘reasonable concerns’ of American firms, says Premier Li ahead of Xi’s US trip

Aamir Latif

Chinese Premier Li Qiang said on Tuesday that Beijing will work to address the “reasonable concerns” of US companies operating in China, in comments ahead of President Xi Jinping’s scheduled state visit to Washington later this month.

Li made the remarks in a meeting with a delegation of the Board of Directors of the US-China Business Council, led by board chair Ryan McInerney, in Beijing, Xinhua News reported.

“China is willing to actively promote the resolution of the reasonable demands of US companies operating in China and safeguard a fair and competitive market environment in accordance with the law,” he said.

Li also called on Washington to work with China “in the same direction,” take concrete actions to address Beijing’s concerns and jointly implement the outcomes of the bilateral economic and trade consultations.

With the joint efforts of both sides, he said that bilateral relations between China and the US remain “generally” stable.

China, he added, is willing to work with the US, following the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, to strengthen dialogue and communication, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, properly manage differences, promote the building of a constructive, strategic and stable US-China relationship and strive for more practical results.

In May, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump met in Beijing and reached a series of important consensuses.

Xi is scheduled to pay a state visit to the US later this month, when world leaders will be in New York for the UN General Assembly.

The essence of China-US economic and trade relations, according to Li, is mutual benefit and win-win; strengthening cooperation is both an inherent need and the right choice for both sides.

Given the large scale of China-US economic and trade cooperation, some “contradictions and frictions are normal,” he maintained.

“As long as there is mutual respect and understanding, and strengthened communication and consultation, solutions can always be found.”