Peoples Daily Comments: Cooperation is the only right choice for dealing with China-US trade friction

Economic and trade relations have always been the ballast stone and propeller of China-US relations. However, in recent days, the US government has provoked and continued to escalate Sino-US economic and trade frictions, which has greatly damaged the bilateral economic and trade relations that the two governments and people of both countries have worked hard for many years, and has also seriously threatened the multilateral trading system and the principle of free trade.

 

On September 24, the Information Office of the State Council published a white paper on the facts and China’s position on trade friction with US, which comprehensively and systematically laid out the facts about China-US economic and trade relations with detailed data. The white paper emphasized that mutual benefit and win-win are the essence of China-US economic and trade relations, pointing out that what the US is doing is trade protectionism and trade hegemonism. The white paper clarified China’s policy stance and fully demonstrated China’s resolve to promote the rational resolution of the issue, maintain the healthy and stable development of China-US economic and trade relations, and firmly uphold the multilateral trading system.

 

In 2017, the bilateral trade in goods between China and the US reached $583.7 billion, 233 times of that when diplomatic relations were established in 1979. History and reality have repeatedly proved that China-US economic and trade cooperation is a win-win relationship. It is definitely not a zero-sum game. It not only promotes China’s economic development and improvement of people’s livelihood, but also gives American enterprises and nationals tangible benefits. China-US economic and trade exchanges are large in scale, rich in connotation, wide in coverage, and involve multiple subjects. It is inevitable that some contradictions will arise. The two countries should properly handle differences and seek to resolve contradictions in a pragmatic manner. However, the US government launched a Section 301 Investigation against China and has made a series of stigmatizing/false and stigmatizing accusations against China, such as “economic aggression,” “unfair trade,” “theft of intellectual property rights,” and “state capitalism,” twisting the facts of China-US economic and trade relations and ignoring the great achievements of China’s reform and opening up and the hard work and sweat/blood, sweat, and tears of the Chinese people. This is not only shows a disrespect for the Chinese government and the Chinese people, but also a disrespect for the true interests of the American people. It will only lead to more differences and increase frictions and will ultimately damage the fundamental interests of both sides.

 

Cooperation brings benefits for all, but competition brings losses on both sides. In face of an international situation marked by uncertainty, instability, and insecurity, China has always been standing with the world, following the trend, standing by justice, and taking the right path, firmly safeguarding China’s national dignity and core interests. China has also been firmly promoting the healthy development of China-US economic and trade relations, safeguarding, promoting, and improving the multilateral trading system, protecting property rights and intellectual property rights as well as the legitimate rights and interests of foreign businesses in China, strengthening and deepening reform and opening up, and promoting mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation with other developed countries and developing countries, in addition to the building of a community of common destiny for mankind. China does not want to fight a trade war, but China is not afraid to fight a trade war and will fight if necessary. China is confident, determined, and capable of responding to various risks and challenges, and no external factors can prevent China from developing. The door to China’s negotiations has always been open, but negotiations must be based on mutual respect, mutual equality, and faithfulness—negotiations require talking the talk and walking the walk. Negotiations cannot be carried out under the threat of a big stick, nor at the expense of China’s right to development.

 

“The finer details fall into place when they align with the bigger picture.” Looking at China-US relations, one should look at the overall situation and not only focus on the differences between the two countries. China is the largest developing country in the world, and the US is the largest developed country in the world. The economic and trade relations between the two countries concern the well-being of the two peoples as well as world peace, prosperity, and stability. To deal with China-US economic and trade frictions and promote reasonable solutions, it is important to enhance mutual trust, promote cooperation, and control differences. Cooperation is the only right choice, and a win-win situation can and will lead to a better future. (by People’s Daily commentator)