Newly-appointed Chinese Commerce Minister Bo Xilai said in Beijing Wednesday that the strong and growing trade ties between China and the United States serve the fundamental interests of both nations.

Bo said in a meeting with US Ambassador to China Clark T. Randt, Jr. that China-US trade ties had progressed remarkably and grown soundly with joint efforts.

Bo said Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's successful visit to the United States last year had proposed resolving bilateral trade disputes through principles based on reciprocity, equal consultation and further growth of trade and economic cooperation.

The US administration had responded positively and the two sides had decided to upgrade the Sino-US Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT). "I believe the Sino-US trade relations would be further promoted," Bo said.

He also revealed that, at the invitation of US Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans, Chinese Vice-Premier Wu Yi would visit the United States to host the 15th Sino-US Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) and hold talks with the US side about issues of common concerns.

"It's good to properly solving the trade issues between the two sides," Bo added.

Bo said the US Embassy in China had been an effective channel for strengthening the ties.

"We appreciate Ambassador Randt's remarkable contributions to the development of Sino-US trade ties and his friendly and close contacts with the Chinese Ministry of Commerce," said Bo.

Randt congratulated Bo on his appointment and handed him congratulation letters from Evans and US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick.

Randt said he had witnessed China's rapid economic growth and he was committed to maintaining communication and cooperation with China in the economic and trade arena.

Bo, former governor of northeast China's Liaoning Province and a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, was appointed by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, as minister of commerce on Sunday.
 
(Xinhua News Agency March 4, 2004)