China says Washington-Beijing relations at 'important' juncture amid tariff wars

Relations between Beijing and Washington are at an important juncture, Chinese Premier Li Qiang told US Senator Steve Daines and some American businesspeople in Beijing amid tariff the wars between the countries.

"If China and the US make peace, we both benefit; if they fight, we both lose. We should replace confrontation with dialogue and zero-sum games with win-win cooperation. We hope that China and the US will work together to promote the healthy, stable, and sustainable development of US-China relations," Li said, according to the English language China Daily newspaper.

The premier underscored that China always "welcomes companies from all over the world, including the US," and "will actively address their legitimate demands, treat domestic and foreign companies as equals, and continue to foster a sound business environment."

"When we moved to China, China's economy might have been about $500 billion or a bit more in 1991. We have watched the growth and change in China over the course of the last 34 years," Daines said.

Daines, US President Donald Trump's supporter, also expressed hope for further high-level dialogues between the two sides in the near future.

The senator earlier attended the annual China Development Forum 2025 in Beijing, alongside American business executives.

The two-day summit of businessmen was held to discuss opportunities and challenges to the Chinese economy and prospects for global economic growth. Many of them are expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.

At the summit, Premier Li announced plans to expand market access for foreign investors, China's state media CCTV reported.

Addressing external challenges, Li said that China is "prepared for possible unexpected shocks."