2017年CRI Sub-national exchanges important to China-US relations: Ambassador

 

00:00/03:18 Subnational exchanges between the U. S. and China is one of the many engines that drive the China-U.S. bilateral¹ relationship forward, Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. Cui Tiankai said on Thursday in Rhode Island during the ongoing² 2017 U.S. National Governors Association (NGA) Summer Meeting.

Cui Tiankai said on Thursday that the expanding and deepening China-U.S. relationship is driven by many engines and economic and trade relations, as well as sub-national exchanges, are two important driving forces.

Cui made the remarks at the China General Chamber³ of Commerce-USA luncheon⁴ during the ongoing National Governors Association Summer Meeting in Providence⁵, Rhode Island.

The Ambassador said that China and the U.S. have now become interdependent partners, coordinating⁶ and cooperating on major international and regional issues, and enjoying $550 billion in bilateral trade and $170 billion in two-way investment.

Meanwhile, cooperation and exchanges between Chinese provinces and U.S. states and cities are also propelling the bilateral relationship forward.

"We are now making greater efforts to expand such cooperation and exchanges. We have established seven pairs of trade and economic exchange mechanisms⁷ between Chinese provinces and U.S. states or cities, including the states of California, Texas, New York, Iowa, Michigan, Washington and the city of Chicago. Under these mechanisms, more than 50 investment programs were signed last year with contracts totaled $2.5 billion. There will be over 100 trade missions travelling across the Pacific this year. I am quite confident that there will be better engagement between us if more states and cities could establish such mechanisms," said Cui. 

Cui Tiankai said that China is upgrading its opening-up level in the context of comprehensive reforming, adopting measures like establishing pilot free trade zones, streamlining procedures for foreign investment companies and opening more sectors⁸ for foreign businesses. These reform efforts will open up new prospects⁹ for China-U.S. economic and trade cooperation.

Talking about Chinese outbound investment, the Ambassador said that many Chinese companies have a keen interest to invest in the U.S., which has brought real benefits to local economic development in the U.S.

"Now, every state and almost every congressional district has Chinese investments. These investments have brought a total of 141,000 jobs to the U.S., and most of them in manufacturing. Chinese investment is making positive contributions to the local economy, employment and tax revenues. In order for more investment programs to succeed, there is a clear need to make sure the federal-level policy tools, like CFIUS, will play a facilitating rather than obstructing¹⁰ role," said Cui.

Cui continued to say that with growing trade and deepening interdependence, some disagreements and disputes are inevitable¹¹, and that's why the two sides have to sit down and discuss in a sensible way.

"It is exactly for that purpose that China and the U.S. will hold the first round of Comprehensive Economic Dialogue next week in Washington, D.C. This is one of the four major dialogue mechanisms set up by our Presidents at Mar-a-Lago in April. We are looking forward to the mutually-beneficial outcomes of this dialogue. We hope the dialogue will be a meaningful exchange and help to build an even stronger basis for our economic and trade relations, as we deal with the uncertainties¹² of the global economy," said Cui. 

During the luncheon on Thursday which featured presence of several governors and business leaders, Cui expressed hope that the U.S. business community would talk to the federal government in an effort to resume the BIT talks between China and U.S., which is now shelved by the Trump¹³ administration after going through 33 rounds of negotiations¹⁴ in the past five years.

Cui urged the federal government to listen to voices at local levels from states and cities, saying that the BIT would address pressing concerns of business communities from both countries.

Matt Bervin, Governor of Kentucky, said that enthusiasm is high at the state level to further expand business ties with China. The governor also said that the federal government is actually willing to listen to voices from the states.

"I will speak for Kentucky, but I think I speak for the other governors here as well, we want your investment. We are a home for potential investment for you, and we will be grateful to have your investment. Do expect to have conversations with the governors of America. Yes, trade policy happens at the federal level. It does. But I will tell you, this administration, they are regularly, repeatedly meeting with governors, speaking to us, wanting to know our take-on things. And because of that, we have their ear, and they have ours," commented Bervin.

The luncheon on Thursday also featured presence of governors from Rhode Island, Maryland, Virginia, Nevada, and Arizona, who expressed the same interest in further strengthening trade and investment ties with China and promised good return to Chinese investment.

Larry Hogan, Governor of Maryland, said that China is Maryland's fifth largest export market and its fourth largest market for imports.

"We're really proud of the excellent relationship that we have with China, which is evident through the success of the 27 Chinese companies that already headquartered in our state. Looking ahead, we very much want to further strengthen Maryland's ties with China and we want to find ways to do even more businesses together in the future," said Hogan.

As Ambassador Cui Tiankai pointed¹⁵ out, Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump have already set a very positive tone for the China-U.S. bilateral relationship. Now, it is for both sides to redouble efforts to make sure that the mutually-beneficial nature of the China-U.S. economic and trade relations is given full play in future endeavor.

"When we make the pie bigger, both China and the U.S. will be able to take a bigger bite," said Cui. 

The 2017 NGA Summer Meeting runs from July 13th to 16th in Rhode Island, where more than thirty governors, as well as business leaders from home and abroad, will be attending the event. On Friday, U.S. Vice¹⁶ President Mike Pence and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also attended the NGA summer meeting and delivered keynote speeches.

1 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

2 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

3 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

4 luncheon   

n.午宴，午餐，便宴

参考例句：

• We have luncheon at twelve o'clock.我们十二点钟用午餐。
• I have a luncheon engagement.我午饭有约。

5 providence   

n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝

参考例句：

• It is tempting Providence to go in that old boat.乘那艘旧船前往是冒大险。
• To act as you have done is to fly in the face of Providence.照你的所作所为那样去行事，是违背上帝的意志的。

6 coordinating   

v.使协调，使调和( coordinate的现在分词 )；协调；协同；成为同等

参考例句：

• He abolished the Operations Coordinating Board and the Planning Board. 他废除了行动协调委员会和计划委员会。 来自辞典例句
• He's coordinating the wedding, and then we're not going to invite him? 他是来协调婚礼的，难道我们不去请他？ 来自电影对白

7 mechanisms   

n.机械( mechanism的名词复数 )；机械装置；[生物学] 机制；机械作用

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms. 这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He explained how the two mechanisms worked. 他解释这两台机械装置是如何工作的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

10 obstructing   

阻塞( obstruct的现在分词 )； 堵塞； 阻碍； 阻止

参考例句：

• You can't park here, you're obstructing my driveway. 你不能在这里停车，你挡住了我家的车道。
• He was charged for obstructing the highway. 他因阻碍交通而受控告。

11 inevitable   

adj.不可避免的，必然发生的

参考例句：

• Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
• The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

12 uncertainties   

无把握( uncertainty的名词复数 )； 不确定； 变化不定； 无把握、不确定的事物

参考例句：

• One of the uncertainties of military duty is that you never know when you might suddenly get posted away. 任军职不稳定的因素之一是你永远不知道什么时候会突然被派往它处。
• Uncertainties affecting peace and development are on the rise. 影响和平与发展的不确定因素在增加。 来自汉英非文学 - 十六大报告

13 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

14 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

15 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

16 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。