CCTV News: The spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce answered reporters' questions on the high-level talks between China and the United States.

A reporter asked: On the morning of May 7, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Vice Premier He Lifeng will visit Switzerland from May 9 to 12, and will hold talks with the United States during this period. Can the Ministry of Commerce introduce the background and related considerations of this talk?

A: Since the new US government took office, it has taken a series of illegal and unreasonable unilateral tariff measures, which have seriously impacted China-US economic and trade relations, seriously disrupted the international economic and trade order, and brought severe challenges to the recovery and growth of the world economy. In order to defend its legitimate rights and interests, China has taken a firm and strong countermeasure. Recently, senior US officials have been constantly exposing information on adjusting tariff measures and actively conveying information to China through various channels, hoping to discuss tariffs and other issues. China has conducted a careful assessment of the US information. Based on fully considering global expectations, China's interests, and the calls of the US industry and consumers, China decided to agree to engage with the US. As the Chinese leader in China-US economic and trade, Vice Premier He Lifeng will hold talks with US Treasury Secretary Besent during his visit to Switzerland.

China's position is consistent. Whether it is a fight or a negotiation, China's determination to safeguard its own development interests will not change, and its position and goal of defending international fairness and justice and maintaining international economic and trade order will not change. Fight, accompany you to the end; talk, the door is open. Any dialogue and negotiation must be carried out under the premise of mutual respect, equal consultation and mutual benefit. There is an old Chinese saying, "Listen to what you say and observe what you do." If the US wants to resolve the problem through negotiation, it must face up to the serious negative impact of unilateral tariff measures on itself and the world, face up to international economic and trade rules, fairness and justice, and rational voices from all walks of life, show sincerity in the talks, correct wrong practices, act in line with China, and resolve the concerns of both sides through equal consultation. If we talk about one thing, do another, or even try to continue to engage in coercion and blackmail under the guise of talks, China will never agree, let alone sacrifice its principled position and international fairness and justice to seek to reach any agreement.

China has noticed that some economies are also in talks with the United States. It should be emphasized that appeasement cannot bring peace, compromise cannot be respected, and adhere to principled positions and fairness and justice are the correct way to safeguard one's own interests. No matter how the international situation changes, China will unswervingly expand its opening up, unswervingly safeguard the multilateral trading system with the WTO as its core, and unswervingly share development opportunities with countries around the world. China is willing to work with all parties to continuously deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, strengthen communication and coordination, jointly resist unilateral protectionism and hegemony hegemony, jointly safeguard free trade and multilateralism, and promote the construction of an inclusive and inclusive economic globalization.