Business leaders from China and the United States have agreed economic affairs should be de-politicised and trade frictions ought to be solved through dialogue, state media said Tuesday.
The decision follows a meeting in Beijing on Monday between the US Chamber of Commerce, the world's largest business federation, and officials from China's commerce and foreign affairs ministries.
"Nothing is un-solvable so long as we resort to dialogue and negotiation on an equal basis," Yu Ping, vice-chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, was quoted as saying by the China Daily.
Yu's remarks were referring to a raft of trade restrictions imposed by the US against China in recent months and complaints about China not fully implementing its WTO commitments.
"US trade protectionism will put a dent on bilateral ties, which is in the interest of none of us," Yu said.
He also urged the US not to politicise economic issues amid concern among industries and observers that the US presidential election campaign this year might intensify trade disputes.
The Bush administration is under pressure to protect jobs in sensitive industries ahead of the elections, which prompted a decision in November last year to cap imports of Chinese bras, knit fabrics and dressing gowns.
The US said the products were being "dumped" on US markets, or being sold for prices less than the cost of the products.
China angrily disputed this, and warned bilateral trade would be hurt if the textile tariff plan went ahead.
Dan Christman, the US Chamber of Commerce's senior vice-president for international affairs, admitted politics were an issue, but said his chamber would try to "deflect the political dynamics."
According to the newspaper, the US chamber, which is in Beijing to determine what changes have taken place since China joined the WTO two years ago, applauded "initial progress" in fulfilment of WTO pledges.
However, it said it needed to find more evidence of progress of opening markets to quell arguments by many US politicians that China is unfairly benefiting from an undervalued currency.
The US chamber had planned a five-day trip to China last year but it was postponed due to the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.
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