Many countries have benefited from an open Chinese market, said the Chinese Ministry of Commerce on Thursday in response to US criticism that the policies of the world's second largest economy present unprecedented threat to the global trading system.

The remarks were made by the US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Monday during his first public speech since taking office.

But Gao Feng, spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce, noted that China has always participated in, defended and contributed to the multilateral trade system, represented by the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Some countries’ actions and voices out of unilateralism have presented unprecedented challenges to the multilateral system, which have raised concerns from many WTO members, according to Gao.

In a global trade forecast statement released by WTO on Thursday, Director General Roberto Azevedo firmly pushed back against the barrage of anti-trade commentary that has emerged from Donald Trump's administration.

Gao also refuted Lighthizer’s accusation of China forcing US companies to set up joint ventures and transfer technologies to China.

The establishment of joint ventures is a market behavior decided freely by companies, Gao said, noting that there is no law in China forcing foreign investors to share their technologies and rebutting allegations that the government intervenes in the case.