TIANJIN, April 10 (Xinhua) -- China's vice minister of commerce on Thursday called on members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to work together to support the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core and provide certainty and positive momentum for the global economy.

Ling Ji, who also serves as the deputy China international trade representative, made the remarks at the China-SCO Conference on Industrial Cooperation for Sustainable Development in the northern city of Tianjin.

He said the U.S. "reciprocal tariffs" imposed on its trading partners represent a serious breach of WTO rules, and China has taken resolute countermeasures to safeguard the multilateral trading rules and normal international trade order as well as its own legitimate rights and interests.

China is ready to work with all parties to uphold WTO principles and rules and advance the liberalization and facilitation of regional trade and investment, Ling noted.

Trade between China and SCO member states, observer states and dialogue partners reached a record high of 890 billion U.S. dollars in 2024, accounting for approximately 14.4 percent of China's total foreign trade, according to commerce ministry statistics.

China will host an SCO summit this autumn in Tianjin.