Ambassador Cui: China welcomes U.S. to join Belt and Road Forum in April

World Today

Chinese ambassador to the U.S. Cui Tiankai addresses a reception at the Chinese embassy in Washington, February 6, 2019. /CGTN Photo)

Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai said on Wednesday China will open its door wider to the U.S. and seek more cooperation, while inviting Washington to join the upcoming Belt and Road Forum in Beijing.

Cui said China and the U.S. are the world’s two largest economies, and both will enjoy greater opportunities and be more prosperous as long as they are open to each other.

The Chinese official made the remarks at a reception at the Chinese Embassy in Washington to mark the 40th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the United States as well as the Chinese New Year.

Cui was quoted as saying the U.S. is the “most welcome” to join the forum, which will be held in April, without directly commenting on the current trade disputes.

U.S. officials including Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and National Security Council Senior Director for Asian Affairs Matt Pottinger also attended the event.

No better alternative than cooperation

Cui warned that the so-called “decoupling” of the two countries would be disastrous for both economies and the world economy at large. The world is undergoing profound changes and it needs the two countries to work together more than ever before, he stressed.

He said history has proven that cooperation serves the interests of both countries and people from both sides.

“The past 40 years have proved that cooperation is in the interests of both countries while confrontation hurts both,” Cui said, adding “there is no better option for us than cooperation.”

He went on to say, “Our people need us to work together. As our common interests grow, we should continue to expand and deepen our cooperation on the basis of the achievements of the last four decades.”

The People’s Republic of China and the United States formally established ties on January 1, 1979. Over the past four decades, the progress of China-U.S. ties has been nothing but staggering.

Official data show that bilateral trade grew from a negligible 2.5 billion U.S. dollars in the late 1970s to over 580 billion dollars in 2017, while the stock of two-way investment rose from practical nil to more than 230 billion U.S. dollars.

Daily trade between the two countries is worth more than 1.5 billion U.S. dollars. More than 14,000 people fly between the two countries every day for work, study and leisure.

(With inputs from Xinhua)