Chinese and American business leaders and former officials on Tuesday called for the China-U.S. talks on signing a bilateral trade and investment treaty to be resumed.

The call was issued in a joint statement released after the fifth annual China-U.S. CEO and Former Senior Officials' Dialogue held at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce headquarters in Washington D.C. Several top U.S. government incumbents also attended the two-day discussions.

The dialogue was co-chaired by Zeng Peiyan, a former Chinese vice premier and chairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, and Thomas Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The goal was to unlock business opportunities and address challenges to trade and economic relations.

Participants held candid discussions on wide-ranging issues, including the stalled talks on a trade and investment treaty, infrastructure investment, the supply chain in bilateral economic partnership, and the future of the manufacturing industry.

It was agreed that the two countries should, at an appropriate time, restart the talks on the bilateral trade and investment treaty, which were launched in 2008 but have been suspended ever since.

Such a treaty will help promote mutual strategic trust, strengthen bilateral economic ties and bring benefits to both countries, the statement said.

They also proposed to tackle less complex issues first and reach a tentative deal in areas where the two countries share their most converging interests before formal negotiations are kicked off.

The China-U.S. CEO and Former Senior Officials' Dialogue, which aims to conduct non-governmental exchanges in bilateral economic relations, was initiated in Beijing in March 2011. Endi