Chinese Premier Meets Delegation of Board of Directors of U.S.-China Business Council

BEIJING, Sept. 1 -- China will work to address the reasonable concerns of U.S. companies operating in China, and safeguard a level playing field in accordance with the law, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said on Tuesday.

Li made the remarks when meeting with a delegation of the Board of Directors of the U.S.-China Business Council (USCBC), led by its board chair Ryan McInerney, in Beijing.

Li also called on the U.S. side to work with China in the same direction, take concrete actions to address China's concerns, and jointly implement the outcomes of the bilateral economic and trade consultations.

Noting that the USCBC has long been committed to promoting China-U.S. relations and economic and trade cooperation, and has played an important role in this regard, Li said China is ready to work with the U.S. side to follow the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, and promote the building of a constructive China-U.S. relationship of strategic stability.

Li said the essence of China-U.S. economic and trade cooperation is mutual benefit and win-win cooperation. Strengthening cooperation is both an inherent need of both sides and the right choice, he added.

China is probably the only high-potential market in the world that boasts both massive scale and vibrant novelty. In particular, high-quality, upgrade-driven consumption such as smart consumption and green consumption is growing rapidly, the premier said, adding that U.S. companies are welcome to seize the opportunity, expand their presence and deepen their engagement in the Chinese market.

Given the large scale of China-U.S. economic and trade cooperation, it is normal that some differences and frictions arise, Li said. He pointed out that as long as the two sides respect and understand each other, and strengthen communication and consultation, solutions can always be found.

He expressed the hope for the USCBC to continue to leverage its influence, to guide all sectors of the U.S. society to view China's development in a rational and objective manner.

McInerney and other members of the delegation said the U.S. business community is full of confidence regarding the implementation of China's 15th Five-Year Plan and the prospects of China's economic development, and will continue to expand investment in China and to firmly serve as long-term partners in China's development and a constructive force in U.S.-China relations.

The USCBC stands ready to play a bridging role to enhance mutual understanding, mutual trust and cooperation between the two sides, they said.