Cui speaks of benefits of Trump's visit

China's top diplomat in the US said his country wants to build a strong partnership with the United States based on mutual respect and benefit.

"This partnership will make each of us better able to accomplish our domestic goals. This partnership will bring both countries together in a stronger position to respond to so many challenges in today's world," Ambassador Cui Tiankai said on Wednesday.

Cui applauded the recent first state visit to China by US President Donald Trump, saying President Xi Jinping and US President Trump held an in-depth exchange of views and reached important consensus on issues, which set the tone for the relationship.

Ambassador Cui receiving award and giving speech. [Photo/CHARLENE CAI]

"The two presidents agreed to stay in close contact with each other and to provide strategic guidance for the relationship," Cui told a crowd made up mostly of experts on US-China relations, at the annual gala dinner of the US-China Policy Foundation (USCPF) in Washington on Wednesday.

He gave a long list of the achievements and consensus, including on the issues regarding the Korean Peninsula and tackling other bilateral, regional and global issues.

In talking about his Asia trip on Wednesday, Trump said he and his wife, first lady Melania Trump, were "greatly honored by the splendor" of their reception in China.

"Our trip included the first official dinner held for a foreign leader in the Forbidden City since the founding of modern China, where we enjoyed a very productive evening hosted by President Xi and his wonderful wife Madam Peng," Trump told the press in the White House less than a day after his return from a 12-day tour in Asia.

Trump applauded China's pledge to faithfully implement the United Nations Security Council resolutions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. He also praised the $250 billion trade-investment deals with China that he said "will create jobs in the United States".

"I also had very candid conversations with President Xi about the need to reduce our staggering trade deficit with China, and for our trading relationship to be conducted on a truly fair and equitable basis," he said.

"It was a very important and successful state visit to China," said Laura Stone, acting deputy assistant secretary for China and Mongolia at the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs of State Department.

Ambassador Cui and Baucus talking. [Photo/CHARLENE CAI]

"The mood was really spectacular. And the president was incredibly impressed by the experience and by the courtesy showed to him," Stone said.

Cui was presented with an Outstanding Achievement Award in US-China Relations, while Max Baucus, US ambassador to China from 2014 to 2017 and former US senator from Montana, won the Outstanding Achievement Award in Public Service.

Charlie Jiang, chairman and CEO of China-US SkyClub, and Stella Li, president of BYD Motors, received the US-China Business Leadership Award.

"I can see the chemistry and trust between President Xi and President Trump, something very assuring to our business community," Jiang said. "I believe the relations between China and the US will really enter a new era after the 19th Congress."

Contact the writer at chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com