- Chinese President Xi Jinping told U.S. business executives on Thursday that the two countries must choose whether to be adversaries or partners.
- Hours earlier, Xi was speaking at a dinner in San Francisco after meeting with US President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting.
- He also said that China will send a giant panda to the San Diego Zoo.
U.S. President Joe Biden meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Filloli mansion on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Woodside, California, on November 15, 2023.
Kevin Lamarque | Reuters
BEIJING—Chinese President Xi Jinping told American business executives late Wednesday that the United States and China must choose whether to be adversaries or partners.
His comments contrast with the Biden administration’s approach of restricting exports of advanced U.S. technology to China and pursuing strategic competition with China while exploring areas for cooperation.
Hours earlier, Xi was speaking at a dinner in San Francisco after meeting with US President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting.
“I always had one question in my mind: how could we steer the giant ship of Sino-American relations away from hidden rocks and shoals, where it would lose direction, lose speed, and even sail through storms and waves? How can we navigate without colliding?” Mr. Xi said, according to a speech in Mandarin that was read out in English.
China is ready to be a partner and friend of the United States.
Xi Jinping
president of china
“In this respect, the number one question for us is: are we enemies or are we partners? This is the fundamental and most important question,” he said.
“The logic is very simple: if we see the other side as our main competitor, our most serious geopolitical challenge, and a threat to slow us down, we will make misinformed policy decisions, wrong actions, and undesirable actions,” Xi said. It will only lead to consequences.”
“China is ready to be a partner and friend of the United States,” he said. “The basic principles we follow in dealing with China-US relations are mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation.”
The dinner, hosted by the U.S.-China Business Council and the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, was attended by government officials, including Apple CEO Tim Cook and Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon. Nearly 400 business leaders, including U.S. citizens and academics, attended.
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo delivered remarks prior to President Xi’s speech.
In his approximately 30-minute speech, President Xi said that while the United States could participate in China-led international initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative, the Chinese government was ready to participate in multilateral cooperation initiatives proposed by the United States. Ta.
“No matter how the world situation changes, the historical trend of peaceful coexistence between China and the United States will not change,” Xi said.
Referring to his previous conversations with Biden, Mr. Xi said, “We agreed to make the list of cooperation longer and expand the pie of cooperation.”
President Xi said China is ready to send 50,000 American youth to study in the Asian country over the next five years.
He also said that China will send a giant panda to the San Diego Zoo. The time was not disclosed.
Last week, the remaining three pandas in the United States on loan from the Chinese government returned to China when their contracts expired. China lends pandas to countries around the world as a diplomatic tool.
China will never bet against the United States and will never interfere in its internal affairs.
Xi Jinping
president of china
Xi’s speech was titled “Turning the people into a powerful force for the cause of China-US friendship.”
“It is wrong to view China, which is committed to peaceful development, as a threat and play a zero-sum game,” Xi said. “China will never bet against the United States and will never interfere in its internal affairs.”
“China has no intention of challenging or displacing the United States. On the contrary, it would be happy to see a confident, open, growing and prosperous America,” he said. Told. “Similarly, the United States should not bet against China and should not interfere in China’s internal affairs. Instead, it should welcome a peaceful, stable, and prosperous China.”
—CNBC’s Christina Wilkie and Eamon Javers contributed to this report.