China, US seek common ground

Presidential envoy speaks with Kissinger

President Xi Jinping's special envoy, Vice-Premier Liu He, met in Washington on Wednesday with former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger and several US lawmakers, with both sides addressing the significance of seeking commonality and keeping a healthy economic and trade relationship.

Liu told Kissinger that his visit is to follow the consensus reached by the two heads of state and continue deepened exchanges with the US side on China-US economic and trade issues, actively explore appropriate solutions and ensure the healthy development of bilateral economic and trade relations.

Liu said that under the guidance of Xi and US President Donald Trump, China-US relations have achieved important and positive progress.

Kissinger said US-China relations are consequential for global peace and prosperity. He said managing bilateral relations requires strategic thinking and vision, adding that the two sides should strengthen strategic communication, further expand shared interests, properly manage differences and demonstrate leadership in dealing with major global and regional issues.

Liu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, congratulated Kissinger on his upcoming 95th birthday on May 27, and expressed his appreciation for Kissinger's dedication to China-US friendship.

Also on Wednesday, Liu met several US lawmakers, including Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady, both members of the Republican Party, which controls both houses of Congress and the White House.

In meeting with them, Liu said that developing a long-term, healthy and stable cooperative relationship between China and the United States is in the interest of the two peoples and is expected by the international community.

Liu said that China and the US have far more shared interests than differences, and China-US relations will grow smoothly when the two countries properly handle each other's core and major interests. Otherwise, they will be in trouble.

He said bilateral trade relations are mutually beneficial. The two sides should look at the problems and handle those problems based on the principle of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit.

On Thursday, China's Ministry of Commerce reiterated that the Sino-US trade relationship is driven by market forces and should conform to market economy rules.

"We will resolutely defend our own interests and will not make a deal at the cost of China's core interests," ministry spokesman Gao Feng said at a news conference.

Gao said China is actively adjusting its industrial and trade structure and is expanding its imports from all countries, including the US, to better serve consumers' demand for high-quality products.

The ministry said China also welcomes companies from around the world, including US companies, to develop businesses in China.

China hopes the US will remove its trade restrictions, provide equitable treatment for Chinese products and investment and promote economic complement­aries, Gao said.

Wang Peng, associate researcher at Chongyang Institute for Finance Studies at Renmin University of China, said that the Chinese government has taken concrete actions and policies such as expanding imports and opening up the financial sector to offer more opportunities for the global business community.

These measures will not only help resolve the trade disputes, but more importantly, come in line with China's own interests, as they will help bring more competition in the domestic market, offer more benefits to the Chinese consumers and lift the living standards of the people, according to Wang.

Contact the writers at zhongnan@chinadaily.com.cn