India flags trade concerns, market access barriers; China reacts

China on Friday said it was ready to work with India to address their respective economic and trade concerns after finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman criticised Beijing's restrictions on market access for Indian products, citing them as a major factor behind the widening trade deficit.“What I can tell you is that China never aims for trade surplus,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said during a media briefing, responding to a question on Sitharaman's remarks.“We stand ready to work with India to address each other’s economic and trade concerns in a balanced way and promote the steady development of bilateral relations,” Mao said, adding that questions on the issue should be directed to the relevant Chinese authorities.The response came after Sitharaman said that India's growing trade imbalance with China and persistent restrictions on market access for Indian goods remained major concerns despite years of engagement between the two countries.India flags non-tariff…