BEIJING (Kyodo) -- Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao on Tuesday urged Japanese business leaders to "join hands" with Beijing, as the world's second-largest economy remains engaged in a tariff war with the United States following President Donald Trump's return to the White House last month.

In talks with a Japanese business delegation led by Masakazu Tokura, chairman of the Japan Business Federation, known as Keidanren, and other officials, Wang called for a "rules-based settlement" of the trade conflict between Beijing and Washington, apparently referring to a mechanism under the World Trade Organization.

The world's two largest economies imposed additional tariffs on each other's imports earlier this month, with China also filing a complaint with the WTO over the new U.S. duties.

The United States imposed a new 10 percent tariff on Chinese imports after Trump accused Beijing of failing to curb shipments to North America of precursors used to make fentanyl, the leading cause of overdose deaths in the United States.

In return, China slapped additional tariffs of up to 15 percent on select American imports, including liquefied natural gas, coal, agricultural machinery and large-displacement fuel automobiles.

The Asian powerhouse has separately strengthened restrictions on its exports of items related to rare metals, including tungsten and molybdenum, to "safeguard national security and interests."

Members of the Japanese mission, which is on a six-day visit to China through Friday, requested that Beijing stop the export curbs and provide a level playing field for foreign companies operating in the country.

They also expressed concern over China's counterespionage law, which was toughened in 2023. Japanese businesses face increased personnel risks in China, highlighted by the detention of an Astellas Pharma Inc. employee in Beijing on suspicion of spying in March of that year.

On Monday, the group met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and repeated its request that Beijing lift its total ban on Japanese seafood imports imposed after the release of treated radioactive wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant began in August 2023.

Ken Kobayashi, head of the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and one of the delegation's leaders, told reporters that the mission called for settlement of the issue by March.