Reuters-Xi tells US firms China ready to be partner and friend
November 16, 2023 2 min 400 words
习近平主席在美国旧金山向美国企业家表示，中国愿成为美国的合作伙伴和朋友，强调了双边合作的广阔空间。这一言论旨在缓解全球商业对中国外商投资的疑虑。在中美两国元首进行稳定关系的对话后，习近平与美国高管在亚太经济合作论坛（APEC）峰会间隙共进晚餐。他的讲话受到热烈欢迎，强调了中美两国需要共同努力的重要性，反对将中国视为威胁，避免零和博弈。习近平表示，无论中国发展到何种阶段，都绝不谋求霸权，不扩张势力范围，也不会对他国强加意志。此次活动为企业提供了与中国领导人直接对话的机会，以寻找应对中国经济放缓、美国推动将一些供应链从中国“去风险化”以及中国扩大安全规定带来的不确定性的方法。这次高度安保的晚宴汇聚了近400名与会者，包括商业、政府官员和学者。美国企业巨头代表如苹果的蒂姆·库克、贝莱德的劳伦斯·芬克、博通的洪淡、布里奇沃特联合的雷·达里奥和辉瑞的阿尔伯特·博拉等均在晚宴上与习近平共进晚餐。报道显示，这场活动为企业提供了面对中国经济减速、美国试图将一些供应链从中国“去风险化”以及由中国扩大的安全规定引起的不确定性的途径。
China is ready to be a partner and friend of the United States, and there is plenty of room for bilateral cooperation, President Xi Jinping told American executives in San Francisco on Wednesday, as Beijing looks to reassure global business and counter his country's struggles to entice foreign investment.
The U.S. executives dined with Xi on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum following a day of talks between Xi and U.S. President Joe Biden, aimed at steadying relations between the world's two largest economies.
Xi received a standing ovation and applause as he entered the room, and was applauded again as he took the stage to speak.
The world needs China and the U.S. to work together, and it is wrong to view China as a threat and play a zero-sum game against it, Xi said in a speech to the audience, including some hand-picked by Beijing.
"Whatever stage of development it may reach, China will never pursue hegemony or expansion, and will never impose its will on others. China does not seek spheres of influence, and will not fight a cold war or a hot war with anyone."
He also expressed sympathy for the American people over the fentanyl crisis. China and the U.S. reached an agreement to curb fentanyl production in earlier talks between Xi and Biden.
The high-security dinner was a chance for companies to hear directly from China's leader as they search for ways to navigate China's economic slowdown, a U.S. push to "de-risk" some American supply chains away from China, and uncertainty caused by China's expanding security rules.
The event attracted nearly 400 in attendance including business and government officials and academics.
Executives from U.S. corporate giants such as Apple's (AAPL.O) Tim Cook, BlackRock's (BLK.N) Laurence Fink, Broadcom's (AVGO.O) Hock Tan, Bridgewater Associates' Ray Dalio and Pfizer's (PFE.N) Albert Bourla were at the dinner tables.
Courses served included a seasonal vegetable salad, an option for coffee crusted black angus flat iron steak or a vegetable curry with squash and rice, a fruit tart and wine.
U.S. Commerce secretary Gina Raimondo also attended the event with other U.S. officials.