Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao on Thursday lodged grave representations with the U.S. side over its export restrictions and suppressing of Chinese businesses during a phone call with U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.

In a statement, the Chinese Commerce Ministry said Wang underlined China's concerns over the U.S. blocking the export of lithography machines to China by a third party, the probe into legacy chips in its supply chains, and sanctions against and suppressing of Chinese businesses during the call.

The two sides, with a focus on how to implement the common understanding reached between the two heads of state at their meeting in San Francisco in November, conducted "in-depth and pragmatic" communication on economic and trade issues of mutual concern, according to the statement.

Wang said the San Francisco summit meeting has given direction for the development of economic and trade relations between China and the United States.

Both sides should work to give full play to the role of the communication and exchange mechanism between the two countries' ministries of commerce so as to create sound conditions for cooperation between their business communities, added Wang.

The two sides also discussed how to define a national security issue in the economic and trade fields between China and the United States.

(Cover: The national flags of China and the United States. /Xinhua)