Beijing and Washington have been engaging in discussions at multiple levels to address each other’s concerns in the economic and trade realms, the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.

He Yongqian, spokeswoman for the ministry, made the remark in response to media reports that US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and other senior US trade officials may meet with Chinese negotiators in early August.

“We hope the US side will work with China to meet each other halfway, based on the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation,” said He.

READ MORE: China, US to implement 'hard-won' outcomes agreed at London talks

She added that the role of the China-US economic and trade consultation mechanism should be leveraged to strengthen dialogue and communication.

Both sides should take concrete actions to jointly foster the stable, healthy, and sustainable development of China-US economic and trade relations, thereby injecting more certainty and stability into the world economy, the spokeswoman said.

READ MORE: China, US to implement 'hard-won' outcomes agreed at London talks

'National security' no reason for tariff hike

China on Thursday reiterated opposition to generalizing national security to impose tariffs after the United States President Donald Trump's announcement on Wednesday to impose 50 percent tariffs on imported copper, citing national security concerns.

Noting China's position on this issue is unequivocal, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a news briefing that China has always opposed overstretching national security concepts.

She emphasized that trade wars and indiscriminate tariff impositions serve no party's interests.