Even as trade tensions persist between the world's two largest economies, businesses on both sides continue to show strong interest in cooperation, according to China's top trade promotion body.

The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) released its Global Trade Friction Index for February on Wednesday, with the overall score standing at 103, remaining at a relatively high level. By country breakdown, the United States accounted for the largest amount involved in global trade friction measures. The council noted that global trade uncertainty has further increased following the US government's decision to invoke Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, imposing an additional 10 percent tariff on most imported goods.

In the China-related trade friction index, the United States also recorded the highest score among all economies.

Despite these developments, the CCPIT emphasized that business sentiment remains oriented toward cooperation rather than confrontation. Speaking on the latest developments, Wang Guannan, spokesperson for the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, highlighted continued investor confidence in China among US companies.

"According to the latest White Paper on US Businesses in China released by the American Chamber of Commerce in China, more than half of the surveyed companies in 2025 still rank China among their top three global priority investment destinations," Wang said.

She also noted that as of April 15, the CCPIT has approved 138 exhibition-related projects for 2026, under which relevant organizers will lead Chinese delegations to the United States to either host or participate in trade fairs and exhibitions. Among them, 65 projects have already been implemented, involving more than 1,600 Chinese enterprises taking part in overseas exhibitions.