The Chinese enterprise purchasing mission signed two contracts with US companies Monday on importing aluminum from the United States.

The contracts, with a total value of US$320 million, were signed in Houston, Texas, by the Chinese mission organized by the Chamber of Commerce for Imports and Exports of Minerals and Chemical Products with US Gerald Metals Inc. and Sherwin Co.

Under the contracts, China will import 1.08 million tons of US aluminum within the coming years.

A Chinese government economic and trade delegation headed by Vice Minister of Commerce Liao Xiaoqi, which is currently visiting the United States, was present at the signing ceremony.

The Chinese government delegation said in a new release that these contracts were signed with a view to substantiating the consensus reached between Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and US President George W. Bush during Premier Wen's recent visit to the United States.

The two sides agreed to further the Sino-US relationship of cooperation and strengthen their economic and trade ties, in particular to increase China's imports from the United States.

The news release said the Chinese government attaches great importance to economic and trade cooperation with the United States and is vigorously pushing for the steady and healthy development of economic and trade ties between the two countries.

The Chinese government also encourages enterprises' efforts to increase imports from the United States so as to reduce the trade deficit incurred by the US side.

It said the development of Sino-US economic and trade relations has brought tangible economic benefits to the people of both countries, thus constituting an important cornerstone for and providing a strong impetus to the development of relations between the two countries.

The Chinese enterprise purchasing mission also signed with US counterparts on Friday in Tampa, Florida, several contracts on China's import of fertilizers from the United States. The contracts totaled more US$500 million.

(Xinhua News Agency December 23, 2003)