China-U.S. trade war leads nowhere: FM

China said Monday that a China-U.S. trade war would lead nowhere, as

President Donald Trump is poised to begin a trade investigation into

China.

Trump is reportedly expected to sign an executive order Monday asking

his trade office to consider an investigation into China over alleged

theft of American technology and intellectual property.

"With the increasingly interwoven interests between China and the

United States, a trade war will lead nowhere and neither side will win,"

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a regular news

briefing.

The China-U.S. trade relationship is win-win in nature. The two sides

should resolve their concerns through dialogue and protect the healthy

development of economic relations, Hua said.

China has always attached importance to protecting intellectual

property rights by formulating laws and regulations, cracking down on

violations and raising public awareness of intellectual property rights

protection, she said.

The United States should objectively evaluate China's progress in

this regard and China's economic achievement through homegrown

innovation, Hua said.

She refuted any intention by the United States to use the trade issue

in exchange for Chinese pressure on the Democratic People's Republic of

Korea, saying "the Korean Peninsula issue and trade fall into different

spheres."

China and the United States should respect and cooperate with each

other on the two separate issues, Hua said. "It would not be proper to

use one as a tool to exert pressure on the other."