China maintains an open and welcoming attitude on U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo's visit to the country, and is in communication with the U.S. side on the matter, said the Ministry of Commerce on Thursday.

China remains committed to addressing each other's economic and trade concerns with the United States through dialogue and promoting constructive and pragmatic cooperation, said the ministry's spokesperson Shu Jueting at a regular press conference.

Shu also answered questions on U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's recent visit to China, responding to a query that during the visit, what practical steps China has asked the United States to take in response to China's concerns about U.S. economic sanctions and suppression.

Shu said that in recent years, the United States has placed a large number of Chinese companies under blacklists of various sanctions and suppression based on excuses including national security and human rights, which has severely damaged the legitimate rights and interests of those Chinese companies.

"China is firmly opposed to this and demands that the United States immediately stop its unreasonable suppression of Chinese firms, lift its unilateral sanctions against them, and inject positive energy into China-U.S. economic and trade cooperation," Shu said.

When asked about Japan's announcement on restricting exports of semiconductor manufacturing equipment to China from July 23, Shu said that certain countries have been politicizing economic and trade issues, overstretching national security concepts, and deliberately weakening connections with China in fields such as semiconductors.

"The move will severely harm the interests of companies in both countries and disrupt the mutually beneficial cooperation pattern that has been formed in the industry for a long time," Shu said, adding that it will also impact the security and stability of the global industrial and supply chains.

Shu said that the Japanese side should consider its own interests and the overall situation of China-Japan economic and trade cooperation, honor the promises of free trade and the market economy, abide by international economic and trade rules, and avoid political interference in bilateral economic and trade cooperation.