Chinese Premier Li Keqiang gives a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 15, 2017. Photo: Xinhua

China is optimistic about the future Sino-US relations as the two countries have established a lot of interdependence in the past few decades since the founding of diplomatic ties, according to Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday in Beijing.

“Although we may have different options on some issues like employment and exchange rate, and probably on security issues, we both need to maintain a strategic focus, sit down and talk with each other as well as enhance mutual understanding,” said Li during a press conference after the closing of the fifth session of the 12th National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Li’s remarks came as Chinese President Xi Jinping and the US President Donald Trump are reportedly set to have a face-to-face meeting in April.

According to Li, the diplomatic departments of China and the US are communicating with each other at the moment over the meeting of the top leaders of the two countries.

After Trump officially took over power, the leaders of the two countries talked to each other through the phone and expressed their willingness to push forward the China-US relationship.

“As the China-US relationship is not only crucial for the interests of the two countries, but also concerns regional and world peace, security and stability, we all need to maintain and push it forward,” Li said.

Regarding trade issues between the two countries, Li said China doesn’t want a trade war which will trigger unfair trade and damage the interests of both China and the US.

“If there is a trade war between China and the US, the interests of foreign companies, in particular American companies, will be damaged, and China does not want any trade wars,” he said.

“The China-US relationship is capturing the attention of the whole world, and whatever bumps the relationship between the two countries may encounter, we still should move forward and head in a positive direction,” Li noted, “People from China and the US are great people, and we have the wisdom to manage our differences and can continue to broaden our mutual benefits.”