Restore China-U.S. Economic Cooperation to the Right Track and Move China-U.S. Relations Steadily ForKeynote Speech by H.E. Ambassador Xie Feng At the Fifth U.S.-China Business Forum

August 29, 2023

推动经贸合作重回正轨，助力中美关系稳步向前

——谢锋大使在福布斯第五届美中商业论坛上的主旨演讲

2023年8月29日

Dear Mr. Mike Federle,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

尊敬的费德利首席执行官，

女士们，先生们：

It is a great pleasure to join you via video link at the fifth U.S.-China Business Forum held by Forbes. We are gathering at a critical time, as the world and the China-U.S. relationship are again at a crossroads. The theme this year, “New Paths Forward”, is highly relevant. I hope the forum will build bridges of communication, open up windows of cooperation, and bring China and the United States together in the same direction to jointly find a path forward.

很高兴出席福布斯举办的第五届美中商业论坛。我们相聚在一个关键当口，世界和中美关系又一次站在何去何从的十字路口。本次论坛以“新前进道路”为主题具有重要现实意义，期待论坛架设沟通之桥，打开合作之窗，推动中美相向而行，共同探索走出前行之路：

We need to find a path for the turbulent world to restore stability. This is a challenging time. Global recovery remains sluggish, and every country has its own problems to tackle. All are in the same boat. No one can stay aloof, still less profit at others’ expense. Bloc confrontation will not bring peace or security, and decoupling will only backfire. Only by pulling together can we tide over the difficulties.China and the United States are the world’s two largest economies and P5 members. Any conflict or confrontation between us would produce no winner, but only spell disaster for the world. The only right choice for us is to combat global challenges together, and provide more peace and development dividends to the world.

一是找到动荡不定的世界由乱及治之道。当今世界变乱交织，经济复苏势头不稳，各国家家有本难念的经。大家都在一条船上，同舟共济才能共渡难关，谁都无法独善其身，更不应该损人利己。中美作为世界前两大经济体、联合国安理会常任理事国，搞阵营对抗带不来和平安全，脱钩断链只会作茧自缚，中美冲突对抗没有赢家、世界不可承受，合作应对全球性挑战，为世界提供更多和平红利、发展红利才是唯一正确选择。

We need to find a path for China and the United States to get along in the new era. Over the past few years, China-U.S. relations ran into serious difficulties. This does not serve the fundamental interests of our two peoples, nor does it meet the common expectation of the international community. Recently, our two countries have had a series of high-level interactions, and Secretary Raimondo is visiting China right now. The two sides have agreed to return to the Bali agenda, and jointly sent out a signal of enhancing dialogue, exchanges and cooperation to stabilize the bilateral relationship. The world needs a generally stable China-U.S. relationship. The Earth is big enough for our two countries to develop respectively and prosper together. We need to seize the opportunity, work in the same direction, clear obstacles and manage differences with concrete actions, and enhance dialogue and expand cooperation in good faith. Most importantly, we need to follow the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation.

二是探索中美新时期正确相处之道。过去几年，中美关系遭遇严重困难，不符合两国人民根本利益，也不符合国际社会共同期待。近期中美开展一系列高层交往，美商务部长雷蒙多正在中国访问，双方同意重回巴厘岛议程，发出了加强对话交流合作、推动中美关系止跌企稳的信号。世界需要总体稳定的中美关系，宽广的地球容得下中美各自发展、共同繁荣。我们要抓住契机、相向而行，用行动排除障碍、管控分歧，以诚意加强对话、拓展合作，根本遵循是相互尊重、和平共处、合作共赢三项原则。

（图源：中国驻美国大使馆官网）

We need to find a path for expanding mutually beneficial economic cooperation and trade between China and the United States. China is the third largest trading partner of the United States and the largest market for U.S. agricultural exports. It is also in the top three markets for 38 American states. Exports to China have supported more than 1 million jobs in the United States. Over 70,000 American companies are doing business in China, earning a profit of US$50 billion annually. Half of Tesla’s global deliveries came from its Shanghai gigafactory last year, which rolls out one electric vehicle every 40 seconds on average. Starbucks now operates over 6,500 stores in China, opening one nearly every 9 hours. Our two countries enjoy economic complementarity and deeply intertwined interests. Our economic ties simply cannot be cut off. We need to renew such success stories of cooperation, and continue to cultivate economic and trade ties for the benefit of our peoples.

三是拓展中美经贸合作互利共赢之道。中国是美第三大贸易伙伴、最大农产品出口市场、38个州前三大出口市场，对华出口为美创造了100多万个工作岗位。7万多家美企在华投资兴业，年利润达500亿美元，特斯拉上海超级工厂去年交付量占全球一半，每40秒生产一辆电动车；星巴克在华开设6500家门店，每9小时新增一家。中美经济结构高度互补、利益紧密交融，两国经贸合作挡不住切不断。我们要续写中美合作的成功故事，维护好两国经贸合作和经济关系，造福两国人民。

Ladies and Gentlemen,

女士们，先生们，

This is my third posting in the United States. Safeguarding the interests of China is my sacred responsibility, and enhancing China-U.S. exchanges and cooperation my important mission. It has been 13 years since I last worked here. A lot has changed in both the world and our two countries. But the importance of China-U.S. relations to our countries and the world has not changed. The fact that we share extensive common interests and are interdependent has not changed. Our peoples’ enthusiasm about greater exchanges and cooperation has not changed. Nor has the international community’s expectation for a sound and stable China-U.S. relationship. Over the years, friends from the business community, including all of you here, have made positive contribution to enhancing China-U.S. economic cooperation and promoting the well-being of our peoples. In order to keep abreast with the times, find new paths forward, and fully leverage the role of economic ties as a ballast and propeller, we need to firm up confidence, remove disruptions, and pool strengths.

这是我第三次到美国工作，我带着捍卫中国利益的神圣职责而来，带着促进中美交流合作的重要使命而来。时隔13年重返故地，世界和中美都发生很多变化，但中美关系对世界、对两国的重要性没有变，两国利益交融、相互依存的现实没有变，两国人民对加强交流、拓展合作的热情没有变，国际社会对中美关系健康稳定发展的期待没有变。长期以来，在座各位工商界朋友，为提升中美经贸合作水平、增进两国人民福祉作出了积极贡献。与时俱进走出前行之路，充分发挥中美经贸关系的压舱石、推进器作用，需要我们坚定信心、排除干扰、付诸行动。

China’s openness and development prospects are our greatest source of confidence. This year, the Chinese economy has maintained the momentum of recovery and growth. Our GDP grew 5.5% in the first half of the year, faster than the 3% growth rate last year and outdoing major developed economies. Solid progress has been made in high-quality development, and the growth is greener and more innovation-driven. Investment in high-tech industries and the new type of infrastructure grew 12.5% and 16.2% respectively year over year. The export of new energy vehicles, lithium-ion batteries and solar cells increased 61.6%. Of course, post-Covid economic recovery will be characterized by undulating progress with twists and turns sometimes. But it is important to see both the trees and the wood, both the present and the long run. China has the most complete industrial system, a market with the most dynamic domestic demand, and a rich pool of high-caliber workforce and entrepreneurs. Our middle-income group is over 400 million strong. More than 100 cities have a population of over 1 million, and nearly 900 million people are of working age. There is ample room in our policy toolkit. The fundamentals sustaining China’s long-term growth remain unchanged. Spreading doom and gloom about others will not make oneself any better. When China fares well, the world will also be better off. China will continue to “follow the path of opening-up and eat from the bowl of reform”. In recent months, China has rolled out policy packages to revive and expand consumption, boost the private sector, and attract more foreign investment. More efforts will be made to protect foreign investment and ensure national treatment for foreign-invested enterprises. These are great boons to the business community, and you are most welcome to share in the new opportunities brought by China’s new development.

最宝贵的信心，源自中国开放发展的光明前景。今年以来中国经济保持回升向好态势，上半年GDP同比增长5.5%，快于去年3%的经济增速，也快于世界主要发达经济体。高质量发展扎实推进，创新和绿色发展势头强劲，高技术产业投资同比增长12.5%，“新基建”投资同比增长16.2%，电动汽车、锂电池、太阳能电池“新三样”出口增长61.6%。疫后经济恢复是一个波浪式发展、曲折式前进的过程，要见树木也要见森林，要看当下更要看长远。中国拥有最完整的产业体系、最具活力的内需市场、大量高素质劳动者企业家，中等收入群体超过4亿人、人口过百万的大城市达100多个、劳动力近9亿，政策工具箱存货丰富，中国经济长期向好的基本面没有改变。唱衰别人不会使自己更好，中国持续发展世界才会更加繁荣。我们将继续走开放路、吃改革饭，近期中方出台恢复和扩大消费、促进民营经济发展壮大、加大吸引外商投资等政策举措，在加强外商投资保护、落实外资企业国民待遇等方面都有实实在在的利好，欢迎大家分享中国新发展带来的新机遇。

Any decoupling between China and the United States would be the greatest disruption. In the first half, China-U.S. trade fell by 14.5% from the last year. This is a direct consequence of U.S. moves to levy Section 301 tariffs on Chinese imports, abuse unilateral sanctions and further tighten up export controls. Livelihoods of many families have been affected, and businesses from both countries have born the brunt. It is simply confusing that the United States, which repeatedly urged China to expand access for foreign investment in the past, is now imposing restrictions itself. The outbound investment review executive order, for instance, is a violation of the principle of free trade. Instead of containing China, it will only curtail the right of American businesses to develop in China.

Also, the United States called on China to level the playing field before, but now it is depriving Chinese businesses of the right to compete. More than 1,300 Chinese entities and personnel are on U.S. sanction lists. Average U.S. tariffs on Chinese products are at 19%, while China’s tariffs on American goods are only 7.3% on average. Is this fair? Does this truly serve U.S. interests? China is the world’s largest trader in goods and largest market for chips and electric vehicles. It is also a popular destination for investment. In the recent five years, the return rate of FDI in China reached 9.1%. Some 24,000 foreign-invested firms were established in China in the first half of this year, and investment from France, the UK and Japan into China in the same period went up 173%, 135% and 53% respectively. Therefore, the biggest risk is any decoupling between China and the United States, and the largest source of insecurity comes from any confrontation between the two. To shut out China is to close the door on opportunities, cooperation, stability and development.

最突出的干扰，在于中美脱钩断链的现实风险。今年上半年中美贸易额同比下降14.5%，与美对华加征301关税、滥用单边制裁、升级出口管制直接相关，影响无数家庭的生计福祉，也给两国企业带来切肤之痛。令我们感到不解的是，过去美方反复提出希中方扩大投资准入，如今却自我设限，美出台对外投资审查行政令，违背自由贸易原则，不仅遏制不了中国，反而限制美企在华发展权利，以损人始、以害己终；过去美方反复提出希中方提供公平竞争环境，如今却剥夺中国企业参赛权，将1300多家中国企业和个人列入各类制裁清单，美产品在华平均关税7.3%、中国产品在美关税达19%，这样公平吗？真的符合美国利益吗？中国是世界最大货物贸易国、最大芯片市场、最大电动汽车市场、全球投资高地，过去5年中国外商直接投资收益率为9.1%，上半年在华新设外商投资企业2.4万家，法、英、日对华投资分别增长173%、135%、53%。中美脱钩是最大风险，两国对抗是最大不安全，“去中国化”就是去机遇、去合作、去稳定、去发展。

To pool strengths, we need friends from all sectors to pitch in. As a Chinese saying goes, “When a nest is toppled, no egg will stay intact.” Only when China-U.S. relations are sound can practical cooperation be smooth and investors be at ease. Over the past three months since I arrived in the United States, I have reached out to American people from all walks of life. My deep impression is that the hope and foundation of China-U.S. relations lie in the people. One of my important tasks is to seek out supporters of China-U.S. relations, reduce differences and disagreements, and expand dialogue and cooperation, so as to jointly bring our relationship back to the right track and move it forward. Recently, we have made heartening progress in facilitating travels and people-to-people exchanges. China has resumed group tours to the United States, and the two sides have agreed to increase passenger flights. Going forward, we need to continue taking concrete steps, no matter how small they may look. We can explore more tangible cooperation outcomes and inject more positive energy into bilateral relations, for instance, by adjusting the China travel advisory, renewing the agreement on cooperation in science and technology, holding the Tourism Leadership Summit, and facilitating visa application and border entry for each other’s citizens.

最有力的行动，要靠各界有识之士的齐心协力。中国有句话，覆巢之下，焉有完卵。中美关系好起来，务实合作才顺畅，投资兴业才安心。抵美履新3个月来，我同美各界人士广泛接触，深感中美关系的希望在人民、基础在民间。我的一项重要任务，就是把支持中美关系的人请出来，就矛盾分歧多做“减法”，为对话合作多做“加法”，共同推动中美关系重回正轨、稳步向前。近期我们在畅通人员往来、加强人文交流方面取得一些积极进展，中方宣布恢复中国公民赴美团队游，双方同意增加两国客运航班数量。下阶段，我们还要继续从一件件具体事情做起，勿以善小而不为，在调整赴华旅行提醒、续签《中美科技合作协定》、举办中美旅游高层对话、解决“签证难”问题、为两国人员互访提供入境便利等方面，酝酿更多看得见摸得着的合作成果，为中美关系发展注入更多积极因素。

Dear friends,

朋友们，

All of you here are important “stakeholders”. I am happy to engage with you as often as possible, and I count on you to continue building bridges of friendship and cooperation, and play a vital role in deepening bilateral exchanges and stabilizing China-U.S. relations.

各位工商界朋友都是重要“利益攸关方”，我愿同大家多多交流，也希望大家继续作中美友好合作的纽带，为深化拓展两国交流合作、稳定发展中美关系尽心发声出力。

Thank you very much.

谢谢大家！

来源｜中国驻美国大使馆官网

制作｜绢生

审核｜肖英 / 万顷

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