The Chinese Foreign Minister holds discussions with representatives of the U.S. business community

30 Oct, 2023

The Chinese Foreign Minister holds discussions with representatives of the U.S. business community

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi extended an invitation on Saturday to the U.S. business community to explore the new opportunities arising from China's high-quality growth and enhanced openness, with the aim of contributing to the improvement of China-U.S. relations. Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made this announcement during a meeting with representatives from the U.S. business community and other sectors in Washington.

During the meeting, Wang emphasized China's readiness to collaborate with the United States to earnestly follow through on the significant consensus reached between the two heads of state. He stressed the importance of taking concrete actions to expand the positive aspects of bilateral relations while diminishing the negative agenda. Furthermore, Wang encouraged both sides to work together to overcome obstacles and pave the way for the two heads of state to meet in San Francisco.

In the course of his visit to the United States, Wang discussed the broader context and recent communications between China and the United States. He highlighted the main theme of his visit as "returning to Bali" and "leading to San Francisco."

Wang acknowledged that with an improving business climate and a rising degree of innovation, China is becoming increasingly open to the rest of the world. He noted that the series of major steps declared by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation have brought significant benefits to the promotion of international cooperation and the strengthening of economic and trade exchanges between China and the United States.

Expressing gratitude, Wang conveyed China's appreciation for the U.S. business community's resilience in advancing China-U.S. friendship despite turbulence in bilateral relations. He emphasized that the driving force for mutually beneficial cooperation between China and the United States remains strong, the foundation is solid, and the opportunities are vast. Wang urged the U.S. business community to leverage the role of economic and trade cooperation as a "ballast" to foster public support and a solid social foundation for friendly relations between the two nations.

Participants in the meeting found it encouraging that dialogue and exchanges at various levels between the United States and China are gradually resuming. They stressed that the interests of both sides are closely intertwined, and a strong U.S.-China relationship is crucial for the success of both countries.

The U.S. business community highly values China's transition to high-quality development, maintains full confidence in the Chinese market, and supports both governments in taking effective measures to facilitate personnel exchanges. Additionally, they expressed their eagerness to expand bilateral cooperation in various sectors, including the economy and trade, science and technology, innovation, and addressing climate change, with the aim of delivering more benefits to their respective populations.

Wang also provided insights into the prospects of China's economic development and the positive steps taken by the country in areas such as market access and intellectual property protection.

The meeting was jointly hosted by the U.S.-China Business Council, the National Committee on United States-China Relations, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.