Business communities, officials call for closer China-U.S. collaboration

CHICAGO, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- Some 700 Chinese, U.S. businessmen and officials gathering in downtown Chicago Monday called for collaboration between the two countries.

China and the United States need to move in the same direction, and follow through on the important common understandings reached between the two countries' presidents and translate the commitments into concrete policies and real actions, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng said in his keynote speech at the 7th Annual Gala of the China General Chamber of Commerce-USA Chicago (CGCC).

To embark on a new journey from San Francisco onward, the two sides need to rise to the challenges and act on the important common understandings reached in San Francisco, Xie said at the event on the theme of "Moving Forward."

"The two sides need to respect each other, co-exist in peace and pursue winning in cooperation so as to turn the San Francisco vision into reality and further improve China-U.S. relations," he said.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) earlier this month upgraded China's GDP growth forecast for 2023 to 5.4 percent, which speaks volumes about "the confidence of the international community in the Chinese economy," Xie noted.

More than 7,000 Chinese companies are right now doing businesses in the United States. The Chinese-funded members of the CGCC alone have invested over 137 billion U.S. dollars in the United States, creating over 230,000 jobs. Over 230 American businesses participated in this year's China International Import Expo, taking up the largest exhibition area for six years in a row, Xie said.

"China's development is a blessing for the world and the success of China and the United States is an opportunity for each other. Sanction is never a solution, but will only create more problems," he said.

"It is important to follow the will of our peoples, respect market rules and uphold free trade. And absolutely say no to any attempt to politicize economic issues on the pretext of security."

Xie expressed the hope that the U.S. side will provide a fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese companies, and CGCC Chicago will "continue building bridges and providing solutions for its members, pull the strength of our two peoples and make the pie of win-win cooperation bigger so as to inject more stability into China-U.S. relations and positive energy into the world."

Xie awarded U.S.-China Friendship Envoy Award to former U.S. Ambassador to China Max Baucus at the gala for his contribution to the China-U.S. relationship.

In a congratulatory letter, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson congratulated CGCC-USA Chicago on another successful year of fostering Chinese investments in the U.S. Midwest and strengthening the bond between China and Chicago.

China has become Chicago's top trading partner with two-way trade reaching 102 billion dollars in 2022, making a remarkable 162-percent growth in one decade, Chicago City Government statistics show.

"While Chicago is entering the winter season, the U.S.-China relationship starts to see the sign of early spring," said Ni Pin, chairman of CGCC-Chicago.

The way to get to peaceful coexistence and co-development "is through active engagement and open, honest dialogue, not through decoupling," he stressed.

CGCC-USA Chicago is a non-profit organization representing more than 260 Chinese-funded enterprises and partners in nine U.S. Midwest states.