China calls on US entrepreneurs to contribute to trade

BEIJING - Chinese Vice-Premier Li Keqiang hopes US entrepreneurs can exert more influence when it comes to bilateral ties and economic and trade exchanges.

Li made the remarks on Tuesday while meeting with a delegation of presidents and CEOs of US enterprises and financial institutions, who are in Beijing for the annual dialogue of China-US business leaders' cooperation plan.

He said the increasingly close economic ties between China and the United States have brought huge benefits to both their peoples during the past four decades.

China-US trade volume has risen and two-way investment has been steadily promoted despite the slow recovery of the world economy, Li said.

"If China and the United States, the two major economies, handle their own business well and enhance mutual trust, it will lead to a feel-good factor in the world economy," he said.

The vice-premier said China will maintain steady and healthy development of its economy, promote all-round social development and further step up opening to the outside world.

"This will bring more opportunities to the cooperation between China and foreign countries," he said.

Li spoke of the potential and common interests for China-US cooperation but said development lies in whether unreasonable barriers of investment and trade can be broken up.

As a business activity, cooperation benefits both sides, while unjust and unreasonable man-made limitations will impair each other, the vice-premier said.

"We hope US entrepreneurs have long-term perspectives, exert influence in order to contribute more to the bilateral ties and economic and trade exchanges," Li said.

US entrepreneurs said they are willing to further intensify relations with China and deepen economic cooperation.