China, US businesses urged to enhance ties

Business communities from China and the United States are encouraged to step up dialogue and deepen cooperation, as senior officials and industry leaders from both sides have repeatedly called for joint efforts to steer bilateral ties toward greater stability and new growth opportunities.

At the China-US Business Cooperation Forum in Washington on Thursday, Xie Feng, China's ambassador to the US, said business communities are key to narrowing politically driven disputes and exploring new opportunities emerging from the steadying effect of head-of-state diplomacy and China's next development cycle.

The event was co-hosted by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the Meridian International Center in Washington.

Xie said China-US economic relations have seen both progress and setbacks this year, prompting many executives on both sides to ask how to interpret the relationship in a "new era" and how to take it forward.

"The personal commitment of President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump to stabilizing bilateral relations has injected precious certainty into our economic cooperation," he said. "We can expect head-of-state diplomacy to continue serving as the anchor of China-US relations."

Xie also introduced the Communist Party of China Central Committee's recommendations for formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), saying China's pursuit of high-quality development will create substantial opportunities for China-US economic and trade cooperation.

Next year will bring "unprecedented" opportunities for China-US business cooperation, he said, as China hosts the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Shenzhen and the US hosts the G20 Summit.

He called on both sides to expand the lists of dialogue and cooperation while reducing areas of friction. "We expect the US government to provide a fair, just and nondiscriminatory environment for Chinese businesses investing and operating here."

On the West Coast, similar calls for deeper business ties resonated at the "Port of Opportunity: US-China Business Exchange Breakfast" held on Friday in Berkeley, California, where 25 Chinese companies met with about 100 local executives and officials to explore opportunities in finance, agriculture, logistics, aviation, healthcare, new energy and cultural industries.

Renewed confidence

Ren Hongbin, chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, said recent interactions between the two countries' leaders have brought renewed confidence to the business communities of both sides.

"We business communities should translate the important consensus reached by the two leaders into concrete actions and outcomes," he said.

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee underscored the economic importance for California, saying around three-quarters of all trade through the port last year was with Asia. China alone accounted for 29 percent of the Port of Oakland's total trade volume, making it the port's largest import partner, she added.

Despite the geopolitical challenges, "we have to stay very focused on who we are and what drives Oakland and what drives our economy and what drives the friendship between our two countries", Lee said.

"We hope you see us as a serious partner in building the green economy as China and the United States both invest in clean energy, zero emission vehicles and port decarbonization," she said.

John Grubb, interim president and CEO of the Bay Area Council, said California accounts for about one-fourth of all trade between the US and China, and his member companies believe in expanding global trade ties.

"Our relationship has seen many tides. Some of those tides have been incredible, and (others) have been challenging. But what's important is that we maintain the vessel, and we maintain the bridges," he said.

Ren highlighted the San Francisco Bay Area's role as a global innovation hub, saying companies such as Apple, Intel and Nvidia have "actively expanded their business in China, contributing to China's reform and opening-up while reaping substantial rewards".

Emerging industries, including new energy, biopharmacy and the low-altitude economy, will serve as major drivers of future cooperation, he added.

Zhang Jianmin, Chinese consul general in San Francisco, said economic interdependence remains a defining feature of today's globalized economy, with supply chains accounting for about 70 percent of global trade.

"Against the backdrop of slowdown in global economic growth, innovation and cooperation are more important than ever," Zhang said, noting that China's large market and complete industrial system complement the Bay Area's innovation ecosystem, creating "tremendous potential for mutually beneficial cooperation".

Contact the writers at huanxinzhao@chinadailyusa.com