BEIJING - China will increase imports from the United States in wide-ranging areas including agricultural products, energy and high-tech equipment, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said Thursday.

In a research report on China-US Economic and Trade Relations, the MOC noted the growth potential in US exports as China's total imports are expected to reach $8 trillion in the coming five years, which will bring more opportunities for US companies.

China would like to further increase imports of agricultural products such as soybeans and cotton from the United States and speed up negotiations on terms regarding traceability, inspection and quarantine for US beef to enter China, which will benefit 6 million American farmers, according to the report.

China is also willing to have active discussions on imports of more aircraft, microchips, machine tools and other high-tech products, the report said.