BEIJING, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Commerce on Tuesday urged the U.S. side to correct its wrongdoings as soon as possible, demonstrate sincerity in trade talks, and work with China in the same direction.

A spokesperson for the ministry made the remarks when commenting on the U.S. claim that China had postponed a suggested phone call to discuss its recent rare earth export controls and a U.S. suggestion that the two sides should find a way to restore a stable situation.

The spokesperson said China had already notified the U.S. side, through the bilateral export control dialogue mechanism, ahead of its announcement of the relevant export control measures, noting that the two sides have maintained communication under the framework of the China-U.S. economic and trade consultation mechanism and had held working-level talks as recently as Monday.

The spokesperson reiterated that these export control measures were legitimate practices of the Chinese government aimed at improving its own export control system in accordance with laws and regulations, while adding that China's export control move does not mean a ban on exports and that applications in compliance with regulations will, as always, be granted approval.

While defending China's export control measures, the spokesperson also stressed that the U.S. side has long overstretched the concept of national security, abused export controls, and adopted discriminatory practices targeting China.

Particularly since the China-U.S. economic and trade talks in Madrid in Spain, the U.S. side has continuously introduced a series of new restrictive measures against China, seriously harming China's interests and severely undermining the atmosphere of the economic and trade talks between the two sides, the spokesperson pointed out, adding that "China firmly opposes this."

"The U.S. side cannot seek talks on one hand while threatening to introduce new restrictive measures on the other. This is not the right way to get along with China," the spokesperson added.

"China's position concerning tariff or trade wars has been consistent -- if forced to fight, China will fight to the end, and for talks, the door is open," the spokesperson said.

China and the United States share extensive common interests and broad space for cooperation, the spokesperson said, adding that cooperation benefits both sides while confrontation harms both.

The past four rounds of economic and trade consultations have fully demonstrated that the two sides can find solutions to problems on the basis of mutual respect and equal consultation, the spokesperson noted.

China urges the U.S. side to correct its wrongdoings as soon as possible, demonstrate sincerity in trade talks, work with China in the same direction, take the important consensuses reached by the two heads of state during their phone calls as guidance, safeguard hard-won consultation results, continue to leverage the China-U.S. economic and trade consultation mechanism, address each other's concerns and properly manage differences through dialogue and consultation, and promote the healthy, stable and sustainable development of bilateral economic and trade relations, the spokesperson pointed out.