(San Francisco) China is “ready to be a partner and friend of the United States,” assured its President Xi Jinping, a few hours after his summit with his American counterpart Joe Biden, during a dinner with bosses on Wednesday evening in San Francisco.
“We should build more bridges and roads for people-to-people interactions,” not put up “various obstacles,” Mr. Xi told an audience of about 400 U.S. business executives, as well as government officials and academics on the sidelines of an Apec (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) summit.
If one country sees the other as its main competitor, “it will only lead to bad policymaking, misguided actions and undesired outcomes,” he added.
Mr. Xi had previously resumed a dialogue with Mr. Biden that had remained dormant for a year. While exposing their differences, particularly over Taiwan, the two sides announced a series of agreements starting with a resumption of high-level military communications.
On the list of guests at the dinner, organized by the US-China Business Council and the Committee on US-China Relations, AFP saw numerous CEOs including Tim Cook from Apple, Laurence Fink from BlackRock and Albert Bourla from Pfizer .
Xi’s comments were eagerly awaited amid concerns about China’s economic slowdown and bilateral tensions.
“Mr. Xi is keen to signal that despite geopolitical tensions, particularly around high-tech industries, China remains open for business,” observes Lindsay Gorman of the American think tank German Marshall Fund for AFP. However “there is a lot more skepticism” among American companies than ten years ago even if some want to overcome tensions.
Thibault Denamiel of the CSIS (Center for Strategic and International Studies) notes that Chinese giant Huawei unveiled its new phone during US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo’s visit to China in August.
For him, the Chinese authorities are sending a mixed signal according to which they can overcome geopolitical hazards, such as the Chips Act which aims to bring back part of semiconductor production to the United States, while continuing to encourage the arrival of companies foreign.
Xi also said that China wants to invite 50,000 young Americans for an exchange and study program over the next five years and that Beijing is ready for further cooperation in protecting pandas even if no new pet loans were promised.
