Any attempt at forced China-US 'decoupling' bound to fail: commerce minister

BEIJING -- Any attempt to forcibly "decouple" China-US economic and trade ties is destined to fail, China's Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said on Friday.

The economic and trade relationship between China and the United States has experienced its ups and downs over the years, but the two countries remain important partners to each other, Wang told a press conference.

Despite a decline in the share of bilateral trade in each other's overall trade volume, China-US trade has remained generally stable, Wang said.

According to the minister, the trade volume of goods and services between China and the United States rose by 18 percent and 34.7 percent in 2024 from 2017 levels, respectively. The two countries also remain key investment partners, with close exchanges between their business communities.

"In essence, China-US economic and trade relations benefit both sides and bring win-win outcomes. Cooperation is the only right path," Wang stressed.

Bilateral trade and investment have also created a substantial number of jobs in both countries, he added.

Facts have proven that through equal-footed dialogue and consultation, China and the United States are fully capable of properly managing differences and working to address frictions to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes, Wang noted.

"China's stance has been consistent in firmly defending national interests and upholding international fairness and justice," the minister said.

In the first half of this year, China's economy maintained steady growth despite downward pressures. The fundamentals sustaining its long-term positive outlook remain unchanged, providing the country with strong confidence and resolve in defending its legitimate interests.

As the world's two largest economies, China and the United States share a responsibility to inject greater certainty and stability into global economic prosperity and development, he said.

Wang stated that China is ready to work with the US side to enhance dialogue and communication, expand common ground, reduce misunderstandings, strengthen cooperation, and jointly steer China-US economic and trade relations back onto the right track of healthy, stable, and sustainable development.