China warns U.S. pols on trade issues

BEIJING, Dec. 10 (UPI) -- The United States should take pains to resolve trade concerns with China through dialogue, rather than politics, a senior Commerce Ministry official.

Vice Minister Chen Deming told the English-language state-controlled China Daily bringing "blaming" politics into trade and economic issues was inappropriate.

He said he imagined political finger-pointing at China would rise as the U.S. presidential campaigns continued.

Chen's comments were published a day before U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and Trade Representative Susan Schwab arrived to discuss bilateral economic and trade issues. They also are to sign several agreements and memorandums, China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson is scheduled to join the 18th Sino-U.S. Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade Wednesday.

The commission, formed in 1983, has served as a bilateral venue for China and the United States to address trade and market access issues.