The overall China-US trade relationship is mutually beneficial and there is no future in any trade war between the two, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Monday. Hua spoke after reports that the administration of US President Donald Trump will consider an investigation into Chinese trade practices.

"Any trade measures taken by WTO members must conform to rules of the organization," Hua said at a daily news conference in Beijing, referring to the World Trade Organization.

US media quoted senior officials as saying that Trump was planning on Monday to order his top trade adviser to determine whether to investigate practices that force US firms operating in China to turn over intellectual property.