(Yicai Global) Sept. 27 -- The trade relationship between China and the US has essentially been a mutually beneficial one over the past 40 years, said Lu Kang, spokesman for China's ministry of foreign affairs, when responding to a question about the visit by the US Secretary of Commerce to China during a press briefing. US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, who is visiting Beijing, appealed to the Chinese government to provide fair and reciprocal treatment for American businesses in China.

If the bilateral trade only benefitted China but not the US, American companies would have stopped business operations in China many years ago, and their non-financial direct investment in China would not have increased over the years, the spokesman said.  

Ross met with premier Li Keqiang and vice premier Wang Yang during his visit to Beijing. China's minister of commerce, Zhong Shan, also held "good discussions" with Ross to push forward economic and trade cooperation between the two countries, and making preparations for President Donald Trump's state visit to China expected to take place later this year, Lu said.