China Daily Global Edition (USA)
US, China ties are above politics: envoy
Despite the sometimes contentious rhetoric of the US presidential campaign, a top Chinese diplomat believes there is still room to explore trade opportunities between the two largest economies in the world.
Zhang Qiyue, consul general of China in New York who recently attended the Democratic and Republican conventions in the US, said she doesn’t believe that the anti-trade talk heard at both events will slow the economic interaction between the US and China.
“I came away with a consensus that people did agree that the China and US relationship is too important to be affected by a political event,” she told a luncheon in Philadelphia on Wednesday sponsored by the China General Chamber of Commerce-USA.
More than 100 guests from the Philadelphia and Pennsylvania business communities and officials from local, state and Chinese governments participated in the program to discuss trade opportunities between Pennsylvania and the state’s largest city, Philadelphia, and China.
“We are more confident that this relationship is closer and healthier than ever,” said Zhang. “There are huge opportunities ahead and Philadelphia has a huge role to play.”
Pennsylvania is home to the sixthlargest economy in the US and the Philadelphia area represents a critical part of it, with an extensive educational, pharmaceutical, medical and manufacturing presence.
“Chinese enterprises are eager to cooperate with their Philadelphian and Pennsylvanian counterparts and a healthy bilateral economic relation is not only good for the people but also good for the world,” added Zhang.
Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor Mike Stack noted the many educational institutions in the Philadelphia metro area. “Many of China’s finest students are attending the University of Pennsylvania, Temple University and the other colleges and universities in the area,” Stack said.
Stack added that the state was eager to attract more Chinese businesses like plastic-ware manufacturer Fuling Global Inc, which invested $21.3 million in a plant located in the Lehigh Valley north of Philadelphia.
Stack urged the crowd not overlook the City of Brotherly Love.
Chairman of the China General Chamber of Commerce (CGCC) Xu Chen said his organization would continue to push for more Chinese investment in the US.
“The US is the leading recipient of Chinese funds and CGCC members contributed to some of the largest deals,” said Chen, who is also president and CEO of Bank of China USA. He highlighted Qingdao Haier’s purchase of General Electric’s appliance business for $5.6 billion and Dalian Wanda’s purchase of Legendary Entertainment for $3.5 billion.