秦刚大使在美国中国总商会芝加哥分会年会晚宴上的主旨演讲

Keynote Speech by Ambassador Qin Gang at the China General Chamber of Commerce — Chicago 2022 Annual Gala

倪频会长，博卡斯大使，布兰斯塔德大使，各位市长，

女士们，先生们，朋友们，

Mr. Ni Pin,

Ambassador Baucus,

Ambassador Branstad,

Mayors,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Friends,

晚上好！很高兴与大家相聚在“风城”芝加哥。在全球化遭遇逆风、中美关系面临诸多挑战的今天，我们迫切需要共商如何为中美关系增添助力,减少阻力。

It’s a great pleasure to join you in Wind City — Chicago. As globalization is meeting some head winds and China-US relations are facing many challenges, it’s important for us to come together to discuss how to create more tail winds and avoid head winds for China-US relations.

今天晚宴的主题是“重启希望，共向未来”。中国未来走向如何？今年10月举行的中国共产党第二十次全国代表大会给出了答案。二十大擘画了中国未来发展蓝图，中国将以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴。“中国式现代化”这一关键词，既有中国特色，如人口规模巨大、共同富裕、物质文明和精神文明相协调， 也体现了和平发展、人与自然和谐共生等人类文明进步共同追求，中国和世界都将从中受益。中国坚持把满足人民对美好生活的向往作为政策出发点和落脚点，致力于以高质量发展带动14亿多人迈向共同富裕。这意味着中国将新增数亿中等收入群体，中国人民的超强购买力将持续释放，他们期望买到全球商品。中国将继续坚持对外开放的基本国策，坚定奉行互利共赢的开放战略；中国将依托超大规模市场优势，以国内大循环吸引全球资源要素，增强国内国际市场两种资源联动效应，提升贸易投资合作质量和水平；中国将稳步扩大规则、规制、管理、标准等制度型开放，推动货物贸易优化升级，创新服务贸易发展机制，发展数字贸易。中国将继续合理缩减外资准入负面清单，依法保护外商投资权益，营造市场化、法治化、国际化一流营商环境。中国的大门不会关闭，会越开越大。感谢美国工商界继续看好中国，希望你们继续扩大对华合作，不断开拓中国市场。

The theme today is “Reopen for our future”. What kind of future is China heading for? The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China which was just concluded in October has drawn the blueprint for China’s future development, which is, China will advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization. Chinese modernization has Chinese characteristics, such as a huge population, pursuit of common prosperity, coordinated material and cultural-ethical advancement. And it also reflects the aspirations of the entire humanity, such as peaceful development, and harmony between humanity and nature, which will benefit both China and the whole world. China takes the people’s aspiration for a better life as the starting point and final goal of its development, and the 1.4 billion Chinese people are pursuing common prosperity through high-quality development. It means hundreds of millions more people will become mid-incomers and the Chinese people’s super purchasing power will continue to be released. They wish to buy the world! China will stay committed to the fundamental state policy of opening-up and the win-win strategy of opening to the world. We will leverage the strengths of China's enormous market, attract global resources and production factors with our strong domestic economy, and amplify the interplay between domestic and international markets and resources.This will position us to improve the standard and quality of trade and investment cooperation. We will steadily expand institutional opening up featuring rules, sectoral regulation, administration, and standards. We will upgrade trade in goods, develop new mechanisms for trade in services, and promote digital trade. We will make proper reductions to the negative list for foreign investment, protect the rights and interests of foreign investors, and foster a market-oriented, law-based and world-class business environment. We will never shut our door, but will only open it wider. I appreciate the US business community for staying optimistic about China, and I hope that you will expand cooperation with China and further explore the Chinese market.

朋友们，

Friends,

中美互为主要贸易投资伙伴，两国产业深度融合、高度互补。近半个世纪以来，两国经贸合作取得了丰硕成果，使两国人民受益，也促进了世界发展与繁荣。但当前，一些人将中国定义为“最主要竞争对手”和“最严峻长期地缘政治挑战”，这是严重的战略误读误判。竞赢中国成为美所有对华政策的出发点，为此，国家安全概念被泛化，经贸问题被政治化、武器化，出口管制、进口限制、投资审查、科技脱钩、行业监管、产业补贴等措施纷纷出台。一千多家中国企业被列入多个管制和制裁清单,导致许多美国企业无法同中方开展正常经贸交往，也让许多中国投资者不敢来美投资做生意。这些做法违背市场经济原则和商业规则，扰乱全球产业链供应链，损人不利己。美方一些人一再声称要“负责任地竞争”，但上述这些行为是“负责任地竞争”吗？如果深度融合的世界头两大经济体彼此脱钩断链，如果经贸关系在双边关系中已无足轻重，这会给两国、给世界带来什么后果？这样做是负责任的吗？我相信大家自有公论。不能让猜忌、恐惧甚至仇恨阻止我们共同追求发展经济、增加就业、改善民生的努力！

China and the US are each other’s major trading and investment partners. Our industries are deeply integrated and highly complementary. Over the past decades, our economic and trade cooperation has been very productive, benefiting the two peoples and promoting world development and prosperity. However, some people see China as “the most serious competitor” and “the most consequential long-term geopolitical challenge”, out of grave strategic misperception and misjudgment. Outcompeting China has become the purpose of all the China policies of the US. Because of this, the notion of national security has been over-stretched,  economic and trade issues are politicized and weaponized, export controls, import restrictions, harsher investment reviews are imposed, as well as measures in tech decoupling, sectoral regulation and industrial subsidies. Over 1,000 Chinese companies have been added to various lists of export controls and sanctions. Many American companies have found it more difficult to do business with their Chinese partners, and Chinese investors are deterred from investing in the US. This line of policy has gone against market economy principles and trade rules, and is disruptive to global industrial and supply chains, hurting everybody. Some people argue for “competing responsibly”. But do such behaviors have anything to do with competing responsibly? If the world’s top two economies, which are deeply integrated with each other, get decoupled and cut off from each part in our bilateral relations, what consequences will our two countries and the whole world have to face? Is it responsible? I believe the answers are obvious. Suspicion, fear or hate should not stand in our way of pursuing economic growth, job increase, and improvement of livelihoods.

前不久，习近平主席与拜登总统在巴厘岛举行重要会晤，达成一系列重要共识，为中美关系把舵定向。两国元首均强调中美管控分歧、避免冲突对抗的重要性。习近平主席指出，相互尊重、和平共处、合作共赢才是中美两国正确的相处之道。拜登总统承诺，美方无意寻求同中国脱钩，无意阻挠中国经济发展，无意围堵中国。两国元首指示双方团队就宏观经济政策、两国经贸等问题进行对话。我们希望两国元首达成的共识能够切实落实，两国能够确立对话而非对抗、双赢而非零和的交往基调。

Not long ago, President Xi Jinping and President Joe Biden met in Bali and reached a number of common understandings. This important meeting has charted the course for future China-US relations. In the meeting, both Presidents stressed the importance for China and the US to manage differences and avoid conflict and confrontation. President Xi pointed out, mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation are the right path for the two countries to stick to. President Biden said that the US has no intention to seek decoupling from China, to halt China’s economic development, or to contain China. The two Presidents have instructed their respective teams to hold dialogue on macroeconomic policies and trade relations. We hope that their common understandings will be earnestly implemented, and our two countries can set the tone of interactions as dialogue and win-win cooperation, not confrontation or zero-sum game.

朋友们，中国企业在美投资意愿和潜力巨大。这些年来，一些中国企业来美投资，为当地经济和社会发展做出了重要贡献，很好地诠释了中美经贸合作互利共赢的本质。即使在今天非常困难的环境下，你们依然在坚守，我向你们表示敬意。希望你们坚定信心，在合规经营的同时积极维护自身正当权益，在收获效益的同时努力回馈社区，发挥好中美交往合作纽带和桥梁作用。希望美方从联邦到地方政府都能为中资企业创造公平公正的环境，欢迎他们、留住他们、让他们成功。

Friends, Chinese companies have a strong desire to invest in the US, and the potential is very promising. Over the years, Chinese investments have made important contribution to local economic and social development, which testifies to the win-win nature of our business cooperation. Faced with today’s difficult times, you have decided to stay put, keeping to your choice. Let me pay high tribute to all of you. I hope you will keep up confidence, defend your own rights and interests while observing compliance, contribute to local communities while making profits, and serve as a bond and bridge of engagements and cooperation between our two countries. I hope the US side, both the federal and sub-national governments, will provide a level playing field for Chinese companies, welcome them, keep them here, and let them succeed.

女士们，先生们，

Ladies and Gentlemen,

美国中西部和腹地被称为“飞越州”,但我认为这里幅员辽阔、资源丰富、产业发达、人文荟萃，与中国有着良好的合作和交流基础。这里诞生了中美第一对友好城市(圣路易斯和南京)，吸引了万向、福耀等一大批中资投资项目，这里的众多机构和友人长期以来孜孜不倦地推动中美各领域的交往和联系。

The American Midwest and the Heartland are often referred as the “flyover country”. The way I see it, this is a vast land with abundant resources, developed industries, and vibrant culture, and it has developed great cooperation and engagement with China. It is home to the first pair of China-US sister cities (St. Louis and Nanjing), and has attracted many Chinese investment projects, such as Wanxiang and Fuyao. Many friends and organizations here have been working tirelessly for the ties and engagements with China.

在美工作这500多天来，我到多个中西部州市走访。我参加了印第安纳州全球经济峰会和科罗拉多州阿斯彭的战略安全论坛，参观了底特律北美国际车展并试驾美国制造的新能源汽车。参加了在艾奥瓦和密苏里举办的两场中美农业圆桌论坛，在两地农场分别体验了春耕和秋收作业。我拜访了各州的新老朋友，在明尼苏达英华学院给学中文的小朋友上课，其中的一个小朋友卡羽彤刚刚获得第二届汉语桥世界小学生中文秀全球总冠军。我同大学的师生们交流，还为圣路易斯红雀棒球队的比赛开球。这些经历让我更加深切体会到美国民众的善良、勤劳和友好，感受到美国中西部各界对华合作的强烈愿望。我期待着中西部各界继续支持、推进两国交流合作，从中收获更多友谊和合作成果。

Over the past 500 days of working here, I have visited many Midwestern states. I participated in the Global Economic Summit in Indiana and the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado. I had a test drive of the US-manufactured new-energy vehicle at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. I attended two China-US agriculture roundtables, one in Iowa and the other in Missouri, and tried my hands with both spring farming and fall harvest. I visited friends old and new. I gave a class to young kids learning Chinese in Yinghua Academy in Minnesota, and one of them, Zoey Cardamone from Yinghua Academy has just won the world champion of “Chinese Bridge” Chinese show for foreign primary school students. I talked with students and teachers of many universities. I threw out the first pitch for St. Louis Cardinals. I have come to appreciate more how kind-hearted, hard-working and friendly the American people are, and how deeply committed the Midwestern United States is to interact with China. I look to our friends in the Midwest for more support and contribution to China-US relations to achieve greater friendship and success.

朋友们，三年多来的新冠疫情给旅行造成了困难。我知道你们中的许多人迫切希望访华。我想告诉大家，中国正在调整优化包括国际旅行在内的新冠疫情应对举措，相信在不久的将来，赴华旅行将更加便利，让我们拭目以待。

Friends, COVID-19 has been with us for three years. It has caused great difficulties for travel. I know many of you want to go to China. I want to tell you that China is adjusting and optimizing its response to the pandemic in light of the situations, including in international travel. I believe that further adjustments will be made to facilitate travel in the near future. Let’s wait and see.

我很期待一会与50年前首批访华的美国乒乓球运动员康妮•斯威里斯切磋乒乓球，共同庆祝“乒乓外交”50周年，致敬康妮和她的队友们为两国关系作出的开拓性历史贡献。中国人常说“友谊第一，比赛第二”，尽管有些人现在对此不认可，认为“比赛第一”，但也请不要忘记友谊！

I look forward to playing Ping-pong with Connie Sweeris later, who was one of the first US Ping-pong players visiting China 50 years ago, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of “Ping-pong diplomacy” and pay tribute to Connie and her teammates for their pioneering and historic contributions. I remember we Chinese often say “Friendship First, Competition Second”. Even some people today may say no, and may say competition first, please don’t forget friendship.

预祝各位圣诞节和新年快乐！谢谢！

I wish you a happy holiday season and happy New Year! Thank you!