China will make efforts to promote trade balance while seeking a stable rise of foreign trade in 2006, said Vice-Premier Wu Yi on Thursday.

In her instructions to the two-day national commerce work meeting held in Beijing, Wu said the country will further optimize the makeup of its export and upgrade processing trade in 2006.

The country will endeavor to raise the efficiency in foreign capital utilization, and encourage outbound investment and transnational business of domestic enterprises, she said.

Wu said China will promote multilateral and regional economic cooperation, and properly handle trade disputes.

China's foreign trade exceeded US$1.4 trillion in 2005, and it attracted more than US$60 billion of foreign investment the same year.

(Xinhua News Agency January 20, 2006)