Trade talks should be based on equality

China and the United States should carry out their trade talks on the basis of equality instead of blaming and pressuring the other during the negotiations, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said.

He made the remarks at a press conference following a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.

When asked about the prospects for China-US trade talks, Wang said Beijing and Washington have made significant and substantial progress with their joint efforts, but certain difficulties remain that has to be carefully handled and resolved.

Under such circumstances, unilateral accusation is meaningless while shifting responsibility is unacceptable, he said.

Wang warned that exerting maximum pressure will only trigger legitimate countermeasures.

China’s move is meant to not only protect its due rights and interests, but also safeguard the basic rules of multilateral trade mechanism, Wang added.

Wang underlined that the negotiation is not a one-way lane but should be carried out on the basis of equality, saying it is impossible to expect one side to readily accept the other’s request.

China will always safeguard its sovereignty, Chinese people’s interests and national dignity when negotiating with any country, he said.

The outlook for trade links between China and the United States — the world’s two largest economies — not only matters to their own development, but also bears on the prospect of the world economy.

Therefore, as long as the negotiation is in line with China’s reform and opening-up policy, its pursuit of high-quality development, and the common and long-term interests of the two peoples, the negotiators of both sides will have the ability and wisdom to properly address their reasonable demand and reach a mutually beneficial agreement, he said.