Chinese Vice President Han Zheng expressed hopes that U.S. companies will continue to invest and take root in China, playing an active role as a bridge and making a greater contribution to the steady, sound, and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations.
Han made these remarks on Sunday while meeting with representatives of the U.S. business community, including those from the U.S.-China Business Council and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Han is in Washington D.C. to attend the inauguration ceremony of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Monday as Chinese President Xi Jinping's special representative at the invitation of the United States.
During his meeting with U.S. business leaders, Han stated that President Xi and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump recently reached important common understandings regarding the development of China-U.S. relations during a phone call.
Noting that China and the United States share broad common interests and vast potential for cooperation, Han said that getting the bilateral relationship off to a good start and keeping it growing steadily serve the common well-being of the peoples of the two countries and meet the expectations of the international community.
He emphasized that the U.S. business community has always been the backbone of China-U.S. relations, acting as participants, witnesses, contributors, and beneficiaries of bilateral economic and trade cooperation as well as China's reform and opening-up drive.
Han assured that China will unswervingly advance its reform and opening-up efforts and continue to improve its business environment.
Representatives of the U.S. business community noted that the recent phone conversation between Trump and Xi sent a positive, encouraging message. They stated that as the world's two most dynamic and technologically advanced economies, the United States and China should pursue mutually beneficial cooperation and work towards finding a constructive and stable way to coexist.
The U.S. business community is optimistic about China's economic prospects and opportunities for development, and supports strengthening U.S.-China dialogue and communication to continue advancing bilateral relations and economic and trade cooperation, the representatives added.
Han also met with Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Sunday. He noted that China welcomes U.S. companies, including Tesla, to seize the opportunity to share in the fruits of China's development and make greater contributions to promoting China-U.S. economic and trade relations.
Musk expressed that Tesla is ready to deepen its investment and cooperation with China and play an active role in promoting economic and trade exchanges between the United States and China.
