China hopes the United States will meet it halfway and push the upcoming meeting between the two heads of state to achieve positive outcomes, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Spokesperson Geng Shuang made the remarks on a routine news briefing when asked for comment on the upcoming meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump during the G20 summit.

File photo of Geng Shuang, the spokesperson of China's Foreign Ministry. [Photo: fmprc.gov.cn]

When answering a question about Trump's remarks on China, in which he said it was "highly unlikely" that the United States would accept China's request to hold off on the tariff increase, Geng said that China has repeatedly stressed that the essence of China-U.S. economic and trade cooperation was mutually beneficial and a win-win option.

China is ready to resolve economic and trade issues through dialogue and consultation on the basis of seriousness, equality and integrity, Geng said, pointing out that China will resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.

He said that the two leaders had an in-depth exchange of ideas on bilateral relations and issues of common concern during a recent phone conversation. The two sides agreed to strive for mutually acceptable solutions on economic and trade issues.

"Economic teams of the two sides are in contact to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state," Geng added.