Cui calls for negotiated solution on trade issues

There’s hope that a meeting between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump at this week’s G20 summit will provide strategic and political guidance to the China-US relationship, which the two sides could use to address trade issues, China’s ambassador to the United States said.

Ambassador Cui Tiankai, speaking in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday – a few days before the two leaders are set to meet on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Argentina, called for the two nations to reach a negotiated solution to a prolonged trade conflict.

“We are doing everything possible to look at the legitimate concerns of US business and the US government,” Cui said. “And we’re trying very hard to do whatever we can to accommodate their concerns, trying to address their concerns in a mutually beneficial way.”

But the ambassador said China would “fight to safeguard our own interests” if fundamental or vital national interests are violated. He also urged more action from the US side to reach a solution.

“We believe that the key to a negotiated solution to the trade issues is a balanced approach to the concerns of both sides,” Cui said. “And honestly, so far I have not seen sufficient response from the US side to our concerns.”

Cui also warned about some voices in the White House who are trying to separate the closely linked American and Chinese economies. He said such actions will bring dire consequences to both nations.

“I don’t know if people really realize the possible consequence, the impact, the negative impact, if there is such a decoupling,” Cui said.

Cui referred to the tariff wars of the 1930s among industrial countries, which led to a collapse of global trade and heightened tension before World War II.

“The lessons of history are still there. In the last century, we had two world wars, and in between them, the Great Depression. I don’t think anybody should really try to have a repetition of history. These things should never happen again, so people have to act in a responsible way.”

Cui said he believes many people are concerned about the current tensions between the two nations, including many Americans.

On Tuesday, nearly 150 US business groups urged the White House to resolve the ongoing trade dispute with China during the G20.

“Millions of American farmers, business owners, companies, workers, and families are counting on you to make a deal,” Americans for Free Trade, a lobbying coalition representing the business groups, said in a letter addressed to Trump.

Cui said it’s “unimaginable” that the current tensions could degenerate into all-out conflict between the two nations.

“And the two governments, two peoples have to do everything possible to prevent this from happening,” he added.