Extensive economic ties root the relations between China and the United States in mutual benefit, an editorial in The Straits Times, an English daily in Singapore, said Monday.

The commentary said that the China-US relations exist on many levels and business ties can exert moderating influence on political relations that may not always be as warm as one might wish.

"Being the powers they are, it's not unexpected the US and China would diverge on how they view the world, and that they would seek to influence friends, allies and neighbors in different ways," the article said.

"Within the sound and fury of political debate, it is easy to detect only problems. But if one stepped back and reviewed the US-China relationship in broad context, there is clear evidence of a partnership than can easily override the occasional stiffness in the shoulder," it noted.

The editorial added that China's large volume of exports of consumer goods to America is "a reflection of the proper operation of comparative advantage", which makes the commerce world go around, as China also buys complicated things like jet planes in big volume from the United States.

"Indeed, China's appetite for sophisticated American products shows how dubious is the claim that an undervalued renminbi upends the trading field," the article said.

(Xinhua News Agency April 24, 2006)