Beijing urged Washington on Wednesday to "adjust its outdated policies" on exports to China in light of a recent analysis saying US policy in areas like high-tech goods "significantly contributes" to its trade deficit with China.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said it is hoped Washington will "create conditions for handling its trade deficit". China is "willing to expand imports from the US based on the actual needs of the domestic market", Lu said, responding to a question about the analysis at Wednesday's daily news conference in Beijing.

China's trade surplus with the United States in the first quarter was 342.1 billion yuan ($49.7 billion), a year-on-year increase of 6.7 percent, according to the General Administration of Customs.