China urges U.S. to scrap additional tariffs, sanctions

BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday urged the United States to remove additional tariffs, sanctions, and other suppressive measures against it at an early date.

China has worked hard to promote the joint implementation of its phase-one economic and trade agreement with the United States since the deal came into force. It overcame multiple negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, a global economic recession, and disrupted supply chains, Gao Feng, spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce, told a press conference.

Gao called for action from the United States to create a conducive atmosphere and sound conditions for the two sides to expand trade cooperation. He added that the economic and trade teams of the two sides are in regular communication.

China and the United States signed the agreement in January 2020 after nearly two years of negotiations. The United States pledged to cancel some of its additional tariffs on Chinese products.

The agreement ranges from expanding bilateral trade in such sectors as agricultural products, manufactured goods, energy, and service, further broadening market access, to enhancing the protection of intellectual property rights.

Gao stressed the deal benefits both sides and the world.

When answering media questions, Gao also disputed a claim that China's economic success mainly relies on government interference.

China has fulfilled its commitments since joining the World Trade Organization (WTO) and completely abolished prohibitive subsidies under the subsidies and countervailing measures agreement of the WTO, Gao said. He added China's subsidies are in line with WTO rules.

As proved over the past four decades, China's economic successes come from its reform and opening-up and effectively combining the roles of the market and the government, Gao said.

The country's reform and opening-up has not only propelled its development but contributed to the world's economic prosperity, Gao added.