China prepared to keep talking to US, Xi assures Washington business group

Remarks to US-China Business Council come amid uncertainty about what Trump’s return to White House will mean for bilateral relations

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Both countries stand to gain from cooperation and lose from cooperation, was Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s message to the US-China Business Council gala in Washington on Wednesday. Photo: AP

Published: 11:21am, 12 Dec 2024Updated: 2:42pm, 12 Dec 2024

Beijing is “prepared to stay in communication” with Washington, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday, calling for proper management of trade differences when US president-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House in January.

In written remarks to the US-China Business Council in Washington, Xi said Beijing and Washington should choose dialogue instead of confrontation, and called for market openness from both countries in the face of Trump’s tariff threats.

“Openness is a key driving force for human civilisation and progress,” Xi said. “We both stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation … the success of one side should be an opportunity rather than a challenge for the other.

“China is prepared to stay in communication with the United States to expand cooperation, manage differences, continuing exploring the right way for our two countries to get along with each other in the new year and realise long-term peaceful coexistence on this planet to the benefit of the two countries and the world.”

Xi’s remarks were delivered by Xie Feng, China’s top envoy to the US, at the US-China Business Council’s annual gala, an event taking place amid uncertainty about what Trump’s return means for relations between the two superpowers.

In his message, Xi stressed to the business executives that China remained committed to opening up and reform, and would continue to provide “market-oriented, law-based, and world-class business environment” for companies from all countries.