Sixth Annual U.S.-China CEO and Former Senior Officials’ Dialogue Was Held in Beijing

Sixth Annual U.S.-China CEO and Former Senior Officials’ Dialogue Was Held in Beijing

On July 22-23, the Sixth Annual U.S.-China CEO and Former Senior Officials’ Dialogue was held in Beijing. Both the American and Chinese delegates conducted frank dialogues regarding U.S.-China economic and trade relationships, reform and innovation, two-way investment, free trade and investment within the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation). China Center for International Economic Exchanges (CCIEE) Chairman Zeng Peiyan, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (USCC) President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue, CEOs, former senior officials and scholars from China and the US attended the meeting.

Chinese delegates pointed out that the U.S.-China relationships have encountered great challenges since last year due to lack of strategic trust. China and the U.S. should conduct frank dialogues and pragmatic cooperation on issues and projects that suit the two nations’ needs, so as to make continuous progress, develop mutual trust and establish a virtuous circle of mutual-trust and mutual benefit. By doing so, the two nations can ensure that the U.S.-China relationships are on the right path of building a new pattern of relationship between great powers. Meanwhile, the American delegates said that the U.S. is a huge market for Chinese products and services and Chinese market is also vital for the U.S., therefore, the two nations should make concerted efforts, promote mutual trust and take specific measures to deepen U.S.-China economic and trade cooperation.

At the end of the dialogue, CCIEE and USCC issued a joint statement of the Sixth Annual U.S.-China CEO and Former Senior Officials’ Dialogue, appealing to governments and business groups to take pragmatic measures to conclude a bilateral investment treaty as soon as possible. Furthermore, the joint statement calls on further progress on reciprocal trade and commercial relationships as well as a stable expectation for business communities. In the future, the two nations should strengthen cooperation on infrastructure, energy, mutual connection and communication, financial services, healthcare and other fields. Finally, the Chinese side released the report on Promoting Bilateral Investment in U.S.-China Infrastructure.

The Annual U.S.-China CEO and Former Senior Officials’ Dialogue is co-hosted by CCIEE and the USCC, which can be seen as the second track mechanism for economic exchanges. So far, five rounds of dialogues have been held during the past three years in Beijing and Washington.