China-US co-operation to go on – envoy

CHINA and the US are expected to continue co-operation under the new US administration led by Donald Trump, says the Chinese ambassador to the US.

The Trump administration has yet to formulate its China policy, but the general trend of China-US co-operation cannot be reversed as it is “the only right choice” for both countries, said Cui Tiankai.

Such co-operation was in the interests of both China and the US, the world’s two top economies and permanent members of the UN Security Council, Cui said.

He also expressed the hope that the two sides can maintain the multi-layer dialogue and exchange mechanisms, built over the past years on non-confrontation, non-conflict, mutual respect and win-win co-operation, Cui said. The two countries can continue and deepen co-operation, in trade, finance, security, energy, infrastructure and mutual investment, as well as some regional and global issues, he said.

Asked about China-US trade frictions, Cui said China is firmly opposed to fighting a trade war with the US.

On the decision by the Trump administration to quit the Transpacific Trade Partnership (TPP), Cui refuted the notion that China will take over the US role as the global leader who makes the rules of trade in the future.

On Taiwan, Cui said the oneChina policy, adopted by previous eight US governments, is the political foundation for China-US relations and “non-negotiable”. Xinhua