Belt, Road dialogue focuses on whole of China-US relations

Tung Chee-hwa, former chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said that while trade and business ties between China and the United States are important, the "overall relationship should not be anchored on the economic relationship alone". He added that taking advantage of every opportunity to collaborate will move the relationship forward.

The two countries were able to come together to prevent an even bigger global financial meltdown from taking place during the 2008 financial crisis, collaborate on medical science in Africa during the Ebola crisis in 2014, and are currently working together to ensure a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula, Tung said on Wednesday at the Asia Society in New York City during a high-level dialogue on the Belt and Road Initiative.

"Today, the fact is that the world is faced with many other challenges that need urgent attention," he said.