At the 2025 Duke-UNC China Leadership Summit, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng delivered a compelling speech via video, emphasizing the imperative of peaceful coexistence between the Chinese mainland and the United States.
Highlighting the responsibilities of two major global powers, Xie Feng articulated that viewing each other as rivals engaged in a race to the bottom would ultimately result in neither nation winning and the world suffering. Instead, he proposed a partnership approach where mutual success leads to global prosperity.
Ambassador Xie stressed the importance of the United States adhering to the one-China principle. He called on the U.S. to properly handle the Taiwan question in line with the three China-U.S. Joint Communiqués, resolutely oppose \"Taiwan independence,\" halt the escalation of substantive relations with Taiwan, and cease efforts to help Taiwan expand its so-called \"international space.\" Xie warned that attempts to use Taiwan to contain China would only lead to self-inflicted troubles.
Addressing economic ties, Xie Feng pointed out that bilateral trade between the Chinese mainland and the U.S. exceeded $680 billion last year, with approximately 73,000 American companies investing in China. He cautioned that any attempts to decouple or disrupt supply chains would deal a heavy blow to both economies. Moreover, he warned that initiating a trade or tariff war would result in greater harm for those who instigate it.
Further emphasizing cooperation, Xie recalled that in 2019, China became the first country to officially classify fentanyl-related substances as controlled categories. He acknowledged the progress made in China-U.S. counternarcotics cooperation but warned that using the fentanyl issue as a pretext for tariffs would be counterproductive.
In light of emerging global challenges and escalating hotspot issues, Ambassador Xie urged both nations to uphold their responsibilities as major powers. He advocated for maintaining peace, fostering development and cooperation, and rejecting hegemonism, unilateralism, and protectionism to navigate the complexities of the modern world effectively.
