Xi Jinping tells hundreds of American business leaders in San Francisco that modernisation is a ‘huge opportunity that China offers to the world’.
The “hope of the China-US relationship lies in our peoples”, Chinese President Xi Jinping told American business leaders during a dinner in San Francisco on Wednesday, as he offered assurances to foreign investors over worries about China’s tightened business oversight and bilateral tensions.
Xi told the audience of about 400 people that, “[it was] the reaching out to each other by our peoples that have, time and again, brought China-US relations from a low back onto the right track” during the event, hosted by the National Committee on United States-China Relations (NCUSCR), and the US-China Business Council (USCBC) of the Apec summit in San Francisco.
Xi also said that China hoped to welcome 50,000 young Americans over the next five years on exchange and study programmes. The suggestion was made during a bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden earlier on Wednesday, Xi said.
“I am convinced that once open, the door of China-US relations cannot be shut again. Once started, the cause of the China-US friendship cannot be derailed.”
“The more difficulties there are, the greater the need for us to forge a closer bond between our peoples and open our hearts to each other,” Xi said, adding that the two countries have agreed to increase the number of flights, speed up visa procedures, and promote high-level dialogue to expand tourism.
But Xi also said he hoped the American side would abide by some “fundamental principles” such as mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation.
Among the guests at the evening gathering, held at the Hyatt Regency in the city’s financial district, were Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, and Ray Dalio, co-president of Bridgewater Associates. Gina Raimondo, the US commerce secretary, and Nicholas Burns, the US ambassador to China, also attended the dinner, for which tickets cost between US$2,000 and US$40,000.
