BEIJING (AP) — China's government has promised more improvements in conditions for foreign companies, including its broadest pledge yet to refrain from pressing them to hand over technology — a key issue in its tariff war with Washington.

The Commerce Ministry on Tuesday said Beijing also will ease restrictions on foreign competitors in some newly opened finance businesses.

It said authorities will be banned from "explicitly or implicitly" pressuring companies to give up technology.

Complaints about Beijing's technology ambitions helped to spark its tariff war with President Donald Trump.

Tuesday's pledge, if carried out, goes further than a law enacted in March that prohibited officials from using administrative tools to force companies to give up industrial secrets.