China said Thursday that it's paying close attention to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's transition team for signs of possible policy directions. That's after Trump named economist Peter Navarro to lead a newly created White House council on trade.

The professor from the University of California-Irvine has sharply criticized China's economic and military policies in videos and books, including "Death By China."

Trump's team praised Navarro as a "visionary" economist who would develop policies to shrink the trade deficit, expand growth, and help stop the exodus of American jobs.

However, few other economists have endorsed Navarro's hard-line ideas. Meanwhile, China said after Navarro's appointment that the two countries should maintain healthy ties. 

"China and the United States as two large countries have broad common interests. Cooperation is the only correct choice. We hope the US works together with China to maintain the healthy, stable development of ties, including business and trade ties. This accords with the interests of both peoples and is beneficial to the world's development and prosperity," said Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying.