History proves gains from China-US cooperation

San Francisco, Aug. 19, (People's Daily Online)---- “History has proved that China and the US both gain from peaceful coexistence and cooperation, and lose from conflicts and confrontation," said Luo Linquan, Chinese consul general in San Francisco, when he delivered a speech on China-US relations at the invitation of the World Affairs Council of Northern California on Wednesday.

He said that the China -US relationship has achieved remarkable development despite twists and turns since both countries established formal diplomatic relations 36 years ago. This relationship has become one of the most important bilateral relationships in the world.

"We have conducted extensive exchanges and cooperation in nearly all areas including political, economic, educational, cultural, people-to-people and international affairs. History has proved that China and the US both gain from peaceful coexistence and cooperation, and lose from conflicts and confrontation," he said in the speech.

China-US economic and trade relations is a critical pillar for our bilateral relations. It is mutually beneficial in nature. As the biggest developing country and the biggest developed country respectively, China and the US enjoy great complementarities in terms of natural and human resources, market, capital and technology.

In 1979, the annual trade volume between our two countries was just 2.45 billion US dollars. Last year, the figure exceeded 590 billion US dollars, an increase of over 240 times in 36 years. Today, China and the US is each other’s 2nd largest trading partner, which brings tremendous benefits for the two peoples.

China is the 3rd largest export market and the largest source of import for the US. More than 60,000 US enterprises have invested in China, including Apple, Intel, HP, Wal-Mart, McDonald's and Starbucks and many others. Many Chinese households use Microsoft software, make calls on iPhones, drive General Motors cars and watch Hollywood movies. At the same time, Chinese companies’ investment in the US also witnessed remarkable increase.

Deepening economic ties have boosted the growth of countries, creating more jobs and bringing tangible benefits to the people of both nations. China and the US are now working on Bilateral Investment Treaty negotiations, which once realized, will further deepen the economic and trade cooperation.

Since China and the US resumed contact 36 years ago, the two sides have seen frequent high-level visits and improving dialogue mechanisms. Today, there are over 100 dialogue and cooperation mechanisms between the two countries. The most well-known ones are the Strategic and Economic Dialogues, the High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchanges, the Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade.

The bilateral sub-national relations also grow fast. Up till now, there are 41 pairs of sister province/state and 201 pairs of sister city between China and the US. For example, California is the sister state of Guangdong Province. San Francisco is the sister city of Shanghai.

In 1979, only a few thousand Chinese and Americans visited each other’s country. Last year saw the figure increased to 4.3 million, which means each and every day, more than 15,000 people are flying over the Pacific Ocean. Every 17 minutes, there is a flight taking off or landing between our two countries.

Both sides also launched a series of initiatives in the fields of education, science and technology, culture, sports, women and youth exchanges. In December 1978, 52 Chinese were first sent to study in the US. In February 1979, 8 Americans set forth on a journey to study in China. Last year, 275,000 Chinese students studied in the US while 24,000 Americans studied in China. Last year, 75 Chinese universities hosted approximately 12,000 American scholars, and 217 symposiums were held jointly by China and the US.

China has pledged "Three Ten-thousand Programs", that is, to provide scholarships for 10,000 US students to study in Chinese universities, to sponsor 10,000 scholarships under the “Chinese Bridge” program, and to send 10,000 Chinese to pursue doctorate degrees in the US. The US has also launched the "One Hundred Thousand Strong Initiatives" to send 100,000 US students to study in China.

The growth of people-to-people exchanges between our two countries is unprecedented in history.

China and the US maintain close and effective communication and coordination on major regional and international issues, including the Korean Peninsula, Iranian nuclear, Afghanistan, counterterrorism, energy security, public health and climate change.

Through close coordination in fighting various challenges, China and the US are tremendously contributing to regional and global peace, stability and prosperity.

Since its economic reform and opening-up policy, China has step by step transformed from an isolated poor country into a new engine of the world economy. After 3 decades of high-speed growth, Chinese economy enters a state of New Normal. The gear of growth is shifting from high speed to medium-to-high speed, and China's focus of development is more on quality instead of quantity. He said "We will let the market play a decisive role in resource allocation. China stock market drop reflects the adjustment of China's economy. The so-called 'China economy collapse' is entirely groundless."

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the United Nations. As allies in WWII, China and the US fought shoulder by shoulder, and share common interests in upholding the outcomes of the victory of WWII and the existing international order with the UN as the core.

He reiterated that "The year of 2015 will see a series of great events in China-US relationship, of which the most important one is the up-coming visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the US next month.

It is a priority in China's foreign policy to jointly build a new model of major-country relationship with the US. In the face of complex and ever-changing international situation, our two countries should seize the correct direction to avoid zero-sum game.

History has proved that China’s success lies in its commitment to peaceful development. He emphasized that "We will continue to pursue the path of peaceful development and the independent foreign policy of peace. We have never had the strategic intention to challenge or replace the position of the US. China and the US are both Asia-Pacific countries and should make joint efforts for peace and prosperity in the region. Just as our President Xi Jinping says, the Pacific Ocean is big enough for China and the US."

He also said that "As a senior diplomat involved in China-US relations for over 30 years, I am fully confident in the bright future of our bilateral relations."