File photo shows G20 leaders pose for a group photo during the G20 summit in Antalya, Turkey. [Photo: takungpao.com]

China's Ministry of Commerce said the country will host the G20 trade ministers meetings in Shanghai this summer.

Shen Danyang, spokesman for the Ministry, made the remarks at a news conference in Beijing.

"China took over the rotating G20 presidency on December 1, 2015, and a series of meetings have been started successively through various channels. As a department which coordinates trade and investment cooperation, the Ministry of Commerce will host the G20 trade ministers meetings from July 9 to 10 this year in Shanghai, before which three trade and investment work team meetings will be held."

Shen says G20 member states have strong desire to enhance trade and investment cooperation amid the slowdown of global trade and economy.

In such a background, through China's proposal, leaders of the G20 demanded in 2015 that trade ministers meetings be held periodically and agreed to establish a supportive work team.

"China hopes member nations, through trade ministers' meetings and a series of work team meetings, will carry out in-depth discussions over issues including constructing a trade and investment platform among G20 countries, promoting global trade growth, supporting a multilateral trade system, enhancing coordination and cooperation of investment policies, and advancing an inclusive and coordinated global value chain."

The next annual G20 summit is also to be held in China, in Hangzhou in September.

In the months running up to the summit, China will host Sherpa meetings in Guangzhou, Xiamen, Hangzhou and Wuhan, finance ministers' and central bank governors' meetings in Shanghai and Chengdu, and meetings of ministers covering trade, employment, energy and agriculture in Shanghai, Beijing and Xi'an.