Chinese Premier Li Keqiang highlighted the importance of China-U.S. relations, calling on the two sides to expand common interests and enhance cooperation while properly managing differences to avoid confrontation.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference after the conclusion of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress on Thursday, Li acknowledged the challenges in the bilateral relations but stressed that the two countries also have extensive common interests and exchanges in many fields.

China and the United States gain from cooperation but lose from confrontation, he said, calling on the two sides to "use wisdom to expand common interests and properly manage differences and disagreements."

Li said as the largest developing country and the largest developed country respectively, the two countries are closely incorporated with each other, an economic decoupling thus does no good for both sides and the world at large.

He urged the two sides to discard the "cold war" mentality, cooperate and respect each other's core interests.

"I believe both countries should respect each other and develop a relationship on the basis of equality, respect each other's core interests and major concerns and embrace cooperation," Li said.