Despite mounting external pressures, China's foreign trade has remained generally stable this year, demonstrating strong resilience, said China's top commerce official.

During his meeting with 12 foreign trade companies and representatives from six business chambers, as well as trade experts in Beijing on Monday, Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said that in response to the United States' unwarranted imposition of high tariffs on Chinese products, China took firm countermeasures to defend its national interests and uphold international fairness and justice - actions that have earned broad international respect.

The minister said that recent high-level economic and trade talks between China and the US have yielded important consensus and substantial progress, laying the groundwork for narrowing differences and deepening bilateral cooperation.

The Ministry of Commerce will work with other government branches to step up efforts to ease difficulties faced by foreign trade businesses, provide stronger policy support and help them explore new markets, he added.