Envoy: US, China need to find right path in relations

Finding the right way for China and the United States to get along with each other is what both nations and the international community need the most, a top Chinese envoy said on Thursday.

Chinese Ambassador to the US Xie Feng, speaking at the Vision China forum at the Asia Society in New York, said that for the past 50 years, the reopening and development of China-US relations was the most important event in international relations and the biggest contributor to global peace and prosperity.

"History provides us inspirations to look ahead to the future," Xie said in a keynote speech.

He said that in the next 50 years, charting that proper course will be critical to international relations.

The forum, co-hosted by China Daily and Bank of China to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the establishment of China-US diplomatic relations, brought together more than 200 witnesses, participants and contributors to those relations to discuss "inspiration from the past" and "vision for the future".

The envoy noted that the best way to commemorate the anniversary is to explore the right way to get along in the new era and usher in a brighter future.

"The history of the China-US relationship in the past 45 years, especially the ups and downs in recent years, tell us that pressure, sanctions, isolation, containment and blockade don't serve the purpose.

"Rather, they bring self-inflicted trouble and require extra work to offset the unwanted results," Xie said.

He said that the two countries share ever-broader common interests, as the global significance of their relationship is increasing.

"The idea of 'decoupling' is illusive; viewing each other as new Cold War adversaries will prove to be the biggest strategic misjudgment in the 21st century," Xie said, adding that a conflict between China and the US would be unbearable for both and the world.

The envoy underscored that among the four red lines China has drawn — Taiwan, democracy and human rights, path and system, and development rights, the Taiwan question is paramount in China-US relations and must not be crossed.

"For China-US relations to have a 'stable floor', it is critical to avoid touching these 'high-voltage wires'," Xie said.

In his speech, Xie said that more than 10,000 American youths have visited China since President Xi Jinping proposed during his summit with US President Joe Biden last November to invite 50,000 American young people to China for exchanges and study programs over five years.

"The growth of China-US relations has primarily come from the joint efforts of our peoples," he said. "We will build more bridges of dialogue and communication between our peoples to sustain the tradition of friendship."

Also speaking at the forum, Qu Yingpu, publisher and editor-in-chief of China Daily, said the country's only English-language newspaper has chronicled the development of Sino-US relations and "faithfully recorded the bonds forged between the two peoples".

"China-US relations are the most important bilateral relations in the world, and they must be managed well, despite the risks and challenges," Qu said.

Qu said the newspaper "has never been absent" when important moments unfolded in and between the two countries.

Most recently, it covered stories including American families who once lived in the Fujian resort of Kuliang, US youth visiting China, the 80th anniversary commemoration of the "Flying Tigers", and the August debut of the giant pandas "Yun Chuan" and "Xin Bao" at San Diego Zoo.

"Just as President Xi Jinping pointed out 'the hope of the China-US relationship lies in the people, its foundation is in grassroots connections, its future depends on the youth, and its vitality comes from subnational exchanges' — those are the key aspects we should constantly work to strengthen," Qu said.

The veteran journalist said he is a firm believer that "mutual understanding is the foundation of friendly cooperation" and that "a modernized China represents an opportunity, rather than a challenge, to the United States".

Given that China and the US have accumulated remarkable "cognitive deficits" amid profound changes taking place in the world, it is crucial that the two peoples reacquaint themselves with a real, multidimensional and comprehensive view of each other's country, he said.

For five years in a row, the newspaper has worked with the Chinese embassy in the US to stage an annual story-sharing event titled "My China Album", presenting photo albums that show a unique pathway to understanding, while acting as a lens through which one can appreciate the richness of another culture, Qu said.

The Vision China morning session featured presentations from six Americans. They came to tell stories of friendship with China in a time wrought with uncertainty. They are people who have remained steadfast in their support of China while trade and political tensions persist, particularly in a US presidential election year.

American policy for China has veered off course because the assumptions have changed, in many ways radically, David Firestein, CEO and president of the George H.W. Bush Foundation for US-China Relations said during his speech at the event.

"They have changed in a way that they have become less accurate than they were before," he said.

He outlined six wrong assumptions: China is no longer a partner but an enemy; building a constructive relationship with China does not serve the long-term interests of the US; China no longer accepts the existing world order and seeks to reshape it; China is trying to replace the US as the sole superpower; excessive engagement with China harms the US and makes it vulnerable; China-US relations are a "zero-sum game".

"They're all wrong, every one of them," Firestein said of the assumptions.

In 1979, teenagers Kelly Van Dries and her elder sister Kitty were working at a rodeo in Simonton, Texas, owned by their parents. Kelly had the honor of presenting a cowboy hat to Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping.

Sarah Lande of Iowa recalled the friendly exchanges of the city of Muscatine with Hebei province.

Their presentations were followed by a Gen Z debate and exchange in the afternoon, when American and Chinese youths debated "The impact of artificial intelligence on human life" and discussed how to avoid the Thucydides Trap, while overcoming "information bubbles" for better China-US communication.

Ge Haijiao, chairman of Bank of China, said it is the longest continuously operating and most globalized bank in China. The bank has been a witness, participant and contributor to the ever-deepening and mutually beneficial cooperation between China and the US.

"Bank of China is firmly committed to promoting trade and commerce between China and the United States, to the benefit of both societies," Ge said in a message read in New York by Hu Wei, president and CEO of Bank of China USA and chairman of the China General Chamber of Commerce-USA.

Steve Blake, chief representative for the environmental group WildAid in Beijing, said his experience in China "has really shaped my entire life for the most part".

"Study Chinese, go check out China. Don't pay so much attention to the high level — a lot of negativity around China these days. On the ground, it's still an absolutely amazing place," he said.

Angela Chen, co-chair of the New York Philharmonic's International Advisory Board and the founder and president of the China Arts Foundation International, said: "I'm really touched by these stories. You should share them with US audiences. I encourage your team to make a documentary featuring all the stories shared today — US audiences should know that there are still many people building connections between the US and China," she said.

John W. Allen, chairman and CEO of Greater China Corp, said:"Vision China brought us together beautifully, and the young people are our hope for all of us. I was so impressed with all of the members of the panel. I've been a friend of China Daily for decades."

Belinda Robinson, Minlu Zhang and Heng Weili in New York contributed to this story.