MNI POLICY: China Actively Promoting Trade Talks With US: Offl

     BEIJING (MNI) - Here are major points from Wednesday's joint briefing by

China's three vice ministers of Commerce, Industry and Information Technology,

Human Resources and Social Security:

     - China and the U.S. have mutually beneficial trade and economic relations.

The two countries will "benefit if both cooperate, hurt if both fight." The two

sides have positive wishes to carry out the consensus reached by Presidents

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in November, and are actively pressing forward with

negotiations. 

     - China will boost imports this year. The Ministry of Commerce will

successfully hold the second expo for imported goods, one of the "political

tasks" and top priorities ordered by the Communist Party. The import expo, which

began last year, is one of China's measures to counter anti-globalization and

rising protectionism.  

     - Addressing media reports that China may adjust the 'Made in China 2025'

strategy, an initiative widely viewed with suspicion by its trade partners:

formulating a strategic plan is each country's "god-given responsibility" and

each nation has the right to develop; 'Made in China 2025' is to overcome

China's own limitations and seek new drivers; China will further implement its

goals and enhance manufacturing's "high-quality" development, increasing its

competitiveness and effectiveness. 

     - China is optimistic about auto production and sales this year, despite

sales dropping in 2018, which the government attributed to the timing of

policies. There is still demand for cars that can be unleased from smaller-size

cities, increased need to replace older polluting vehicles and strong demand for

new-energy cars.

     - China is certain it will hit the 2018 whole-year goal of 6% increase in

industrial output by surveyed larger producers, despite a slowdown in the second

half. Output in the first 11 months rose 6.3%. China's total industrial output

may have reached CNY30 trillion in 2018, making them a global leader. 

     - China created 13.6 million jobs in 2018, beating 2017 by more than

100,000, and was the sixth year registering over 13 million. In 2019, China

again faces demand for more than 15 million new jobs, including a record 8.34

million post-secondary graduates. 

--MNI Beijing Bureau; +86 10 8532 5998; email: william.bi@mni-news.com

--MNI London Bureau; tel: +44 203-586-2225; email: les.commons@marketnews.com