China committed to expanding high-standard opening up: vice commerce minister

China will continue to expand high-standard opening up and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of foreign-funded enterprises, Ling Ji, vice minister of commerce and deputy China international trade representative, said on Wednesday.

At a roundtable discussion in Beijing attended by representatives from over 80 foreign-funded enterprises and foreign chambers of commerce in China, Ling said that U.S. unilateralism and bullying acts of imposing excessive tariffs have caused strong dissatisfaction in the international community.

Such moves by the United States have severely undermined the rules-based multilateral trading system and the international economic and trade order, and disrupted the stability of global industrial and supply chains, Ling said, adding that enterprises from various countries including China are all victims.

"We hope that foreign-funded enterprises will voice rational opinions, stay confident, weather the difficulties, turn crises into opportunities, and work together to overcome unilateralism and protectionism," the Chinese official said.

China will more proactively address the operational challenges of foreign-funded enterprises, strive to ensure the stable and smooth functioning of industrial and supply chains, and push for the resolution of issues and concerns raised by foreign-funded enterprises, Ling added.

Confronted with a complicated external environment, the Chinese government has always prioritized addressing issues encountered by foreign-funded enterprises and has been committed to increasing opening up, foreign attendees at the roundtable said.

Noting that China's foreign investment policies are continuous, stable and predictable, foreign enterprises are willing to continue to invest in China, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and jointly tackle challenges, was the consensus of foreign attendees.