(Yicai Global) May 24 -- The Chinese government protects the rights of all foreign companies on Chinese soil, including firms from the United States, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

The ministry is examining the problems foreign companies are facing and will strive to provide solutions that improve China's business environment, spokesman Gao Feng said at a press briefing yesterday.

His speech follows a survey report published on May 22 by the American Chambers of Commerce in China and Shanghai that showed US firms are facing a particularly rough time in China amid rising tensions between the world's leading economies.

"We believe that China's further opening-up and huge domestic market will create new development opportunities for more foreign enterprises," said Gao, adding that the commerce ministry has taken heed of the report.

Some 81.5 percent of manufacturing companies that responded to the survey said they were feeling the squeeze from the US tariff hikes, suggesting the US's measures are harmful not only to Chinese firms but also to its own enterprises.

Editor: James Boynton