中美對話前又爆貿易規則口角

China is defending its foreign investment climate in the face of critical comments from Gary Locke, the U.S. commerce secretary who has been nominated to be the next U.S. ambassador in Beijing.

The exchange comes ahead of annual high-level talks next week known as the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue. Locke said Wednesday in Washington that Chinese companies enjoy more opportUnities in the United States than American firms do in China, and that the imbalance is a "major barrier" to improved commercial relations.

But at a briefing Thursday in Beijing, foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu insisted that foreign companies enjoy equal treatment in China. She challenged them to rely on their own strength for success in that country.針對美國商務部長駱家輝的批評，中國爲其外國投資環境辯護。駱家輝已被提名擔任下一任美國駐華大使。

這次言語交鋒發生在下週舉行的美中戰略與經濟對話舉行之前。駱家輝星期三在華盛頓表示，中國公司在美國享有的機會多於美國公司在中國的機會，這種不平衡是改善貿易關係的“一個重大障礙”。

但是，外交部發言人姜瑜星期四在北京的記者會上堅持說，外國公司在中國享有平等待遇。姜瑜說，外國企業應憑自身實力在中國取得成功。