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Xi seeks new model of relationship
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President Xi Jinping has called for the United States and China to better understand each other’s strategic intentions, asking for a new model of major country relationship‚ with more understanding and less suspicion.
In a keynote speech in the Pacific coast commercial hub of Seattle on the first day of a state visit, Xi insisted that China does not seek conflict despite stressed relations in a number of areas.
“We want to see more understanding and trust and less estrangement and suspicion,” he said. “Should they enter into conflict and confrontation, it would lead to disaster for both countries and the world at large.”
Ahead of talks with President Barack Obama’s administration later this week on issues that will include cyber theft and human rights, Xi told an audience of mostly businessmen and US state officials that China is a positive force in the global economy and is pushing forward with reforms based on the rule of law and market principles.
He promised to treat US investors in China fairly and to fight against commercial cyber theft.
“We respect the international business norms of non-discrimination,” he told the audience that included the chief executives of some of the largest US businesses, including Boeing, Amazon, DuPont, IBM and Microsoft, all of whom have substantial business in China.
“We will address legitimate concerns of foreign investors in a timely fashion,” he said.
On the issue of hacking, Xi said China itself is a victim and is ready to set up a high-level mechanism with the US to discuss the problem.
“The Chinese government will not in whatever form engage in commercial theft or encourage or support such attempts by anyone,” the president said.
At the same time, he suggested that US threats to sanction Chinese officials over alleged hacking were out of line, saying cyber theft was a crime that had to be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
He also stressed that China’s economic downturn was temporary and that the government was on top of recent market turmoil.
“At present, all economies are facing difficulties and our economy is also under general pressure. But this is only a problem in the course of progress,” Xi said.
“China’s stock market has reached the phase of self-recovery and self-adjustment,” he added.
Xi was spending two days in Seattle, meeting with the governors of US states with substantial trade and investment ties to China, and the businesses themselves, sending a message to the White House that US companies need China.
He was introduced by legendary US diplomat Henry Kissinger, who made the first secretive effort in 1971 to restore long-broken relations with China and who praised Xi as the man able to take the relationship between the two countries to a new level.
The Chinese leader charmed his audience with quotes from Martin Luther King, recollections of former visits to the city and knowing references to popular US culture, including the romantic comedy “Sleepless in Seattle.”
Xi also gave a nod to author Ernest Hemingway and past US presidents, and got a standing ovation from his audience.
But the Chinese president also took pains to remind Washington that China has been a responsible team player in dealing with crises from Ebola to North Korea’s nuclear issue to global warming, as well as supporting the world economy in the 2008 financial crisis.
He also responded to criticisms that China’s tough new security law will outlaw foreign non-governmental organizations, saying the country welcomed and would protect those whose activities “are beneficial to the Chinese people.” But he stressed they had to obey Chinese law.
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