The Xinhua News Agency’s special envoy on President Xi Jinping who is visiting the United States, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, deputy prime minister of the State Council and Chinese leader of the China-U.S. Comprehensive Economic Dialogue, Liu He, were interviewed by the media on the morning of the 19th. He said that the biggest achievement of the Sino-U.S. economic and trade consultations was that the two sides reached a consensus, did not fight a trade war, and stopped levying tariffs on each other.
Liu He said that this is an active, pragmatic, constructive and fruitful visit. The two sides reached many consensuses on the development of an active and healthy China-US economic and trade relationship. The most important reason for the positive results of this consultation is the important consensus reached by the two heads of state. The fundamental reason is the needs of the two peoples and the world.
Liu He said that China and the United States will strengthen trade cooperation in energy, agricultural products, medical care, high-tech products, and finance. This can not only promote China's economic development towards high quality, meet the needs of the people, but also help the United States reduce its trade deficit. This is a win-win choice. At the same time, the two sides will continue to strengthen mutual investment and deepen cooperation in the field of intellectual property protection. This will not only benefit China and the United States but also contribute to the stability and prosperity of global economic trade.
He emphasized that China has a large middle-income group and will become the largest market in the world. This market is highly competitive. If you want to gain a share in the Chinese market, exporting countries must improve the competitiveness of their products and services so that the Chinese people are willing to buy. China is not only willing to buy from the United States but also from the world. China will host the first international import expo and welcome countries from all over the world to participate.
Liu He stated that Chairman Xi Jinping proposed four areas for expanding opening up at the Boao Forum for Asia in 2018. We will implement it in accordance with President Xi’s request. Promoting reform and promoting development through openness is the experience and inspiration of China’s reform and opening up 40 years ago, and it will continue to be continued in the future.
Liu He said that the consensus reached between the two sides is inevitable, but at the same time it must be realized that the freezing of the cold is not a matter of time, and it will take time to solve the structural problems of the economic and trade relations between the two countries over the years. The healthy development of Sino-U.S. economic and trade relations is in line with the historical trend. No one can stop them. In the face of future new twists and turns in the development of the relations between the two countries, we must look calmly, persist in dialogue and properly handle them.
14:23PM
Chinese official media Xinhua News Agency posted on Weibo on the afternoon of the 19th that China and the United States have issued a joint statement on economic and trade negotiations. The full text is as follows:
According to the instructions of President Xi Jinping and President Trump, from May 17th to 18th, 2018, the Chinese delegation led by Chairman Xi Jinping’s special envoy and vice-premier Liu He, and representatives from the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Mukuchin, Secretary of Commerce Ross, and trade representatives. The U.S. delegation of members such as Letsigze has conducted constructive consultations on trade issues.
The two sides agreed that effective measures will be taken to substantially reduce the US trade deficit with China’s goods. In order to meet the growing consumer demand of the Chinese people and promote high-quality economic development, China will greatly increase the purchase of goods and services from the United States. This also helps the U.S. economic growth and employment.