WASHINGTON - China and the United States on Wednesday kicked off in Washington the plenary session of the annual trade talks to deepen bilateral trade and business ties.

Visiting Chinese Vice-Premier Wang Qishan co-chaired the 23rd Session of China-US Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) with Acting US Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank and US Trade Representative Ron Kirk.

The global economy is still facing severe and complex challenges, and the only certainty among the uncertainties is that the sluggish global economic recovery would continue for a long time to come, Wang said in his opening remarks to the plenary session of the 23rd Session of China-US JCCT.

To foster economic growth and job creation should be a top priority for all countries, Wang stressed.

Chinese Minister of Commerce Chen Deming (C) speaks as Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai (L) and Chinese Vice Minister of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) Liu Lihua listen during a news conference at the 23rd session of the China-US Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) in Washington December 19, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

The JCCT is one of the pillars of the stability in the relationship between the United States and China, Kirk said in his opening remarks.

The United States and China are now the two largest economies in the world, and the bilateral relationship, particularly the bilateral trade and commerce relationship has never been more important, Blank said in her opening remarks.

Blank called on both sides to use the platform to advance progress towards a balanced and ever growing trade and investment relationship.

China told US trade negotiators that Beijing would do more to protect intellectual property rights and combat piracy by promoting the use of legal software, China's commerce minister told reporters.

Minister Chen Deming said that while Beijing agreed to address those longstanding US complaints, American officials promised to address China's demands for greater exports of US high-technology products and to facilitate more Chinese investment in the United States.

Established in 1983, the JCCT is a platform for China and the United States to promote trade relations and address issues of mutual concern.

The 22nd Session of China-US JCCT was held in China's southwestern city of Chengdu in November, 2011.