Ambassador Cui Tiankai attended a luncheon hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on "U.S.-China Economic Relations in the Next Decade" as a keynote speaker on May 22.

Ambassador Cui briefed his audience on the latest development of China-U.S. relations, in particular the forthcoming meeting between President Xi Jinping and President Obama early June in Sunnylands, California. The "special meeting with special significance", he stressed, will lay "a very good basis" for the efforts to build a new type of relationship between China and the United States.

According to the Ambassador, this new type of relationship is not an empty concept, but quite real and is taking shape. China and the United States should give it more substance and build upon the progress of the last four decades of their relations. This new type of relationship benefits both Chinese and American peoples, and is the "shared responsibility" of the two countries to the international community and the world economy.

Ambassador Cui pointed out that economic cooperation, which has always been the major pillar of China-U.S. relations, should remain so and play an even more important role in building the new type of relationship. The two sides should focus on growing common benefits and interdependence and identifying new fields for cooperation. They should work together to address disputes "against the background of our growing common interests and benefits", and "should not politicize economic issues."

Ambassador Cui advised the Chinese business community that they should learn from the Americans a strong sense of crisis and get prepared for all scenarios at all times. The U.S. government and businesses could learn a lot from Deng Xiaoping's remarks in the beginning of China's reform and opening-up which underscored the importance for China to be open and welcome foreign direct investment, he said. He told his American audience at the end of his address, "Don't worry, be open."

Mr. C.H. Tung, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and Mr. John Podesta, Chair of the Center for American Progress also spoke at the luncheon. Mr. Wang Chunzheng, Executive Vice-Chairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, former Chinese Vice-Minister of Commerce Mme. Ma Xiuhong, Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski, former National Security Advisor to the President, former Secretary of Labor Mme. Elaine Chao and people from the U.S. business, academic and other circles attended the luncheon.