Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng outlined China’s vision for a cooperative relationship with the United States in a recent talk at Harvard University. Ambassador Xie engaged in a fireside chat with Graham Allison, Founding Dean of Harvard Kennedy School.
Ambassador Xie acknowledged the challenges in the U.S.-China relationship, but noted the importance of cooperation to ensure continued peace and prosperity. He argued that the Thucydides Trap is not inevitable.
“China is willing to work with the U.S. based on mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation,” Ambassador Xie said. He pointed to the successful summit between Presidents Xi and Biden as a positive step, but cautioned that progress on shared concerns has been slow.
Ambassador Xie addressed competition between the two countries. China welcomes fair competition but rejects U.S. sanctions on Chinese companies, which he called “bullying tactics.” He advocated for a balanced approach where competition complements cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
Ambassador Xie defended China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a global infrastructure development strategy. He rejected claims that the BRI is a geopolitical tool and highlighted its focus on cooperation. He cited successful BRI projects as evidence of the initiative’s positive impact.
The Ambassador addressed other topics including China’s commitment to peaceful development and its opposition to trade wars.
