Beijing vows to protect Chinese firms in US, boost bilateral ties amid negotiation process

China has pledged to safeguard the legitimate rights of its companies operating in the United States and work to stabilise economic and trade relations, as Beijing and Washington seek progress in ongoing trade negotiations.

Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao convened a round-table meeting in New York on Tuesday with executives from more than a dozen Chinese companies operating in the US, joined by the head of the China General Chamber of Commerce in the US.

Wang warned that the global trade environment and rules were being “severely undermined” by unilateralism and protectionism, urging Chinese companies in the US to “get a handle on the current situation” and “respond proactively”.

He encouraged firms to pursue diversified strategies and compliant operations, urging them to “seek certainty amid uncertainty” while also working together to maintain mutual support.

“We will work to stabilise China-US economic and trade ties and will firmly safeguard the legitimate rights of Chinese companies,” Wang said, according to a ministry statement on Wednesday.

The companies represented sectors including finance, logistics, cross-border e-commerce, petrochemicals, telecoms, rail transit, auto parts, new energy, and pharmaceuticals, the statement said.