BEIJING, April 13 -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with a U.S. presidential trade mission in Beijing on Monday, urging stronger cooperation with the United States in clean energy, environmental protection and other areas.

"China is accelerating a new type of 'people-oriented' urbanization plan, which offers a huge market for the advanced technology and management experience of the United States," Li told the delegation led by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker.

The delegation, consisting of 24 U.S. business leaders in the clean technology field, is the first-ever presidential trade mission sent to China by the Obama administration.

Pritzker told Li that the mission shows how important the U.S. government considers its trade ties with China.

Li urged combining U.S. technology, regulation and experience with competitive Chinese equipment and industries to jointly explore third markets.

"This will help boost balanced growth of our two-way trade," he added.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to the United States in September this year.

Li said China is willing to enhance strategic trust and substantial cooperation with the United States, properly manage differences and jointly cope with regional and global challenges.

Calling trade ties a "ballast" in China-U.S. ties, Li said the two economies are highly compatible, and both countries enjoy huge cooperation prospects in such areas as infrastructure, energy, information and environmental protection.

Premier Li called on both sides to facilitate negotiations on a bilateral investment treaty (BIT) to reach a "high-level and balanced" agreement at an early date.

China's reform and opening-up policy and its commitment to World Trade Organization regulations will remain unchanged, he said.

"China will continue to open wider to the world and will have a more transparent and predictable market," said the premier.

He welcomed companies from various countries to enter the Chinese market and enjoy fair play.

Li pledged to treat Chinese and foreign companies equally and better protect intellectual property rights.

The Chinese premier called on the U.S. side to ease high-tech exports to China and take effective measures to make Chinese investment in the United States more convenient.

Pritzker told Li the U.S. side is ready to boost cooperation with China in areas such as clean technology, energy conservation and environmental protection.

She welcomed U.S.-China joint cooperation in developing third markets, and welcomed more Chinese companies to invest in the United States.

The United States will elevate BIT negotiations with China in a constructive manner in an effort to reach a list acceptable to both as soon as possible, Pritzker said.

Earlier on Monday, Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang also met with the delegation.