Trump trade action could hinder ties

Anticipated US investigation targeting China's practices an 'abuse of status'

China has put a strong emphasis on intellectual property rights protections and urged all WTO members to respect the rules of the organization, the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday as US President Donald Trump prepares to launch a broad investigation into China's trade policies.

"China and US trade cooperation is the 'ballast and propeller' of bilateral relations and is mutually beneficial. We hope the two countries will continue on a path of cooperation," Commerce Ministry spokesman Gao Feng said at a news conference.